There and Back Again: Into Space
by The.Gemini.Twins12
Summary: Thorin Durin has lived a rather normal life for a Dwarf in the Fifty-first century on a spaceship. Along with his crew of misfits (though some would argue they are more mature then others) he had been fairly happy. Until the arrival of a certain Halfling who turns their lives upside down. (Rated M just to be safe)
1. The Halfling

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Hey, everyone! My name's Pollux! Long story short (if you ever want to hear the long story, let me know) I told Castor about this idea I had after read a lot of Hobbit fanfiction and she told me go for it, she'd support me and be my beta. For those of you who don't know, Castor and I are the Gemini Twins, we co-write a lot of stories together. So far all of them are Hetalia. We tried writing a Hobbit fanficiton once but it didn't work out. But this idea popped into my head and it wouldn't leave me alone. So here it is! I noticed everyone either wrote Middle-Earth or present time so I decided to try one in the future. If you've ever seen Firefly or Serenity by Joss Whedon, think that. Ye be warned! Spoilers and probably lots of OOC-ness_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>The Halfling<strong>

_January, 5014 Gondor_

He was dead. Captain Thorin 'Oakenshield' Durin, Dwarf of the Erebor moon in the Khazad system was dead. And he knew it, if the handcuffs around his wrists and the cold steel chair he sat in were anything to go by. The impeccably dressed agent – Smith, if Thorin remembered correctly – standing by the door talking with his associate only added to that feeling.

Rubbing one thumb against the other, Thorin's mind wandered back to his little friend. He could still remember the horror on his little friend's face as Dwalin tried to beat back every man who drew near him. It was all in vain, though. They had been captured: the Dwarves arrested and the Halfling dragged away to cold examination tables and pointy needles.

Thorin's eyes flicked upward as Smith turned away from his associate with a nod and made his way to the steel table Thorin sat at. The Dwarf's handcuffs had been looped through a d-ring screwed into the table, disabling the movement of his hands.

"So, Thorin . . . Oakenshield, is it?" Smith asked, consulting a stack of papers in his hands. "Or is it Durin? I never can tell with you Dwarves." Thorin's eyes narrowed at that. Trust the Government of the Free Peoples to send a prejudice agent to interrogate him.

"Durin," Thorin said coldly. "Oakenshield is a name used only by my friends and enemies."

"In other words," the Man clarified. "Not for the use of the government." Thorin gave him a single nod and the man pulled back the second chair to sit down, crossing his legs at the knee. The papers in his hands were tossed onto the table. Thorin had a second to see a photo of himself before it was covered by a hand.

"Thorin Durin, captain of _the Arkenstone_," Agent Smith said. He drummed his fingers against the table. "Do you know why you're here today?" Thorin didn't grace him with an answer but for the growing glower. "You're wanted on multiple accounts of theft, black-market dealings, multiple accounts of murder, assault, fleeing authorities, breaking out of prison, resisting arrest, and the illegal kidnapping and possession of a Halfling." The small smile Thorin had made at the mention of 'breaking out of prison' vanished with the last accusation. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Agent Smith asked.

"Where is the Halfling?" Thorin asked.

"That is none of your business," Agent Smith snapped. "The Halfling has suffered enough in your hands. Preliminary examinations have revealed multiple scars around his ear, at the base of his neck, and down his right arm. What was your purpose for kidnapping the Halfling?"

"We did not kidnap him," Thorin said through gritted teeth. He would have continued if the agent had not interrupted him.

"Captain Durin, you and your crew are facing life in prison. According to the Restoration Act of the Fiftieth century it is against the law to remove a Halfling from a sanctuary. Your nephews and their friend . . ." the Man had to consult his notes once more. "Ori will be sent to a detention facility for youth when we have received their statement. You, though, you're going straight to prison."

"We did not take the Halfling from his sanctuary," Thorin repeated himself, his clenched knuckles turning white at the mention of his nephews. "We found him - ."

"And where do you just _happen_ to find a Halfling? They're not exactly running amuck, now are they?"

"Yes, he was kidnaped. But we did not do it."

"There are thirteen Dwarves on your crew, correct?" Thorin nodded at that. "Nori and Dwalin are both more than capable of kidnapping a Halfling. You and Dwalin yourselves served multiple tours in the Khazad military."

"Nori is nothing more than an informant," Thorin said. He wanted nothing more than to either massage his temples or strangle the agent, maybe both. "Kidnapping is not his particular area of work."

"And yet he was caught attempting to release the Halfling from his room on this ship before he was arrested."

"And Dwalin has too much pride and honor to kidnap someone."

"Again, Dwalin attacked seven Men when we attempted to draw near the Halfling before he was restrained. One of those Men is currently in critical condition."

"Why would we want to kidnap a Halfling?" Thorin demanded. "Tell me that. What use is a Halfling to thirteen Dwarves?"

"Halflings can go for a very high price on the black-market," the Man pointed out. "We also have intel you used him when you recently reclaimed your home planet of Erebor. You sent him straight into a Dragon's lair without a single thought for his safety."

"_Shut up_!" Thorin roared in Khuz-dul, having reached the end of his rope. The agent's mouth clicked shut with a snap in surprise. "We did not kidnap the Halfling," Thorin said slowly as he tried to remain calm. "We found him abandoned. It happened late last year; September, I think."

"Are you issuing this as your official statement?" Agent Smith asked slowly.

"I am," Thorin said. "We had ventured out into uncharted Goblin territory when we ran across a ship. She was a _Speeder_ _180_ refurbished for the use of smuggling. We never once considered the black spider on the helm of the ship when we saw her . . ."

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><p>AN: _Again, feel free to review. Critics are welcome, flames are not (message me if you need to know what I personally consider a flame), and please, PLEASE give this a chance. I realize this is not your average Hobbit story. But I'm giving it my best. Toodles!_


	2. Treasures and Troubles

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Alright, something you lot need to know about me being an author. I always ALWAYS update a fist chapter along with the prologue. I hate leaving people hanging like that. So here's my first chapter. I know it's the best. Let me know what you think can be worked on and I'll do best!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Treasures and Troubles<strong>

_September 5014, Uncharted Goblin Territory_

"Ya see, right there," Bofur said, pointing to the center of the ship's moving engine. Thorin tried to follow his finger's direction and failed miserably. To him the engine looked like nothing more than a heap of metal parts all forced together in one big mess.

"No, I do not see," Thorin said. Bifur leaned around the corner of the engine from where he was working to glare at Thorin. "I have told you two before, I do not know the first thing about engines."

"Look, just look," Bofur said. He grabbed Thorin by the shoulder and turned him back to the moving engine. "In the center, it's the thingy majiggy that looks like the end of a jackhammer. Do ya see it now?"

"Aye," Thorin said. He turned his head this way and that. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

"What? Like Gloin's attempt at carving a duck for his son? No. It's supposed to look like the end of a jackhammer." Bifur grumbled to himself unhelpfully and returned to his work. "Aye. I know what it's actually called," Bofur told his cousin with a laugh. "I just don't like trying ta remember the name. It's too long."

"How important is it to the engine?" Thorin asked Bofur, trying to bring back his mechanic's attention. "Will the ship run without it?"

"Aye, she'll run," Bofur said before chewing on his lip. "Fer about three or four days before the piece falls off. Then the engine'll get jammed and we'll be dead in the water." Thorin sighed and ran a hand over his eyes.

"Why did you not tell me of this when we were on the Iron Hills?" he asked.

Bofur shrugged. "We didn't need it then." Thorin groaned at that but clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"I will see about getting you a new part," he said. Bofur thanked him happily and Thorin left him to work with Bifur on the engine. Stepping out of the engine room, Thorin was preparing to find Gloin when Fili's voice carried down the expanse of the hall connecting the engine room to the cockpit.

"Thorin, you better come here!"

Groaning inwardly, Thorin turned on his heel and marched toward the other end of _the Arkenstone_. She was a Fiftieth century Dwarf carrier ship bought second hand and refurbished to act as a traveling vessel for the crew of thirteen Dwarves. The first floor of the ship contained the cockpit, the engine room, and a few spare rooms for the mechanics and pilots; the second was the general living area; and the third and lower level was the cargo bay.

"What is it, Fili?" Thorin asked his eldest nephew as he stomped into cockpit. "I need to find Gloin and tell him we need spare parts for the engine."

"No need," Fili said, pointing out the windshield. Before them floated a small ship clearly built for short-distance travel. A black spider graced the ship's front helm.

"What is a small ship like that doing out here?" Thorin asked in surprise.

"It's a _Speeder 180_," Fili said, propping his heels up on one of the three control panels before him. "The Men created them to act as taxis between planets."

"What's she doing all the way out here?"

"The engine probably exploded." Thorin leaned over the railing of the cockpit to see his younger nephew, Kili, reclining on the lower levels of the cockpit. "They're not exactly reliable."

"When you two talk about engines exploding . . ?" Thorin started uncertainly. "Do you mean it literally explodes? This ship looks to be in one piece."

"Aye, that it is," Fili agreed.

"The engine doesn't really explode," Kili said. "It more of just falls apart. The speed of the ship is too much in such a confined area of space that it just literally starts to fall apart."

Thorin scratched his short beard, thinking through his options. There was a high chance there would still be food on board, the engine could still be largely in once piece, and there could be something precious that had been left behind. On the other hand . . .

"No traces of heat signatures," Fili said, motioning to a radar screen before him. "And the escape pods are gone. All clear from here." That sold it.

"Good work, Fili," Thorin said as he clapped his eldest nephew on the shoulder. "Get us a way on that ship and you can leave the flying to Kili for the rest of the evening."

"You mean we don't get to go with you this time?" Kili asked sadly, his shoulders slumping.

"Not until you two have learned your lesson from Bree," Thorin said. Turning around, he marched out of the cockpit and toward the stairs leading to the second level. He paused by the intercom panel to jam the black button in. "Dwalin, Nori," he called through the speaker. "Meet me in the cargo bay in five. We have goods."

With that said and done, Thorin made his way to his own sleeping quarters where he kept his weapons: his ax and sword. The two weapons were strapped to his hip and back and he made his way back out into the common area. The Men of the Fifty-first century may have used guns, but Thorin would take a good old sword over a gun any day. They were more reliable and didn't need to be reloaded on a regular basis.

Balin was seated at the dining table in the center of the room when Thorin walked back through toward the cargo bay.

"Did the lads find something useful?" the older Dwarf asked curiously.

"An abandoned ship," Thorin said. He paused before Balin to smile grimly at his old friend. "What have we become, Balin? Vultures picking at abandoned carcasses in hopes of food?" Balin sighed and removed his glasses from his face, rubbing his eyes.

"We are not vultures," he said in a worn voice. "We are simply taking what others have left behind for our own benefits."

"There would have been no need if Dain had simply agreed to take back Erebor," Thorin growled.

"That Dragon is a danger to us all," Balin reminded Thorin. "Smaug would kill us the moment we drew near to our home planet. Or have you forgotten what happened at Azunzilibar? You have made a good home for us in the Blue Mountains. Perhaps, one day, our time will come." He perched the glasses back on his nose. "Now you better hurry before you are late, I believe you told Dwalin and Nori five minutes."

Thorin nodded a farewell and hurried from the second level down to the third where a long set of stairs led to the cargo bay from a gangway. Nori and Dwalin were standing by the cargo bay doors, apparently arguing about something. The heated discussion stopped, though, when Thorin arrived.

"Dwalin, Nori," Thorin greeted. Dwalin just nodded gruffly while Nori rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"So there's goods to be had?" Nori asked Thorin excitedly. "Loot to be stolen."

"I am not sure yet," Thorin said slowly. "We are only looking for leftover food, spare parts for our engine, and anything valuable that may have been left behind."

"What kind of spare parts are we talkin' about?" Dwalin asked Thorin.

Thorin opened his mouth then realized just how stupid he sounded. "It looks like a jackhammer." Nori broke out into cackling laughter while Dwalin rolled his eyes.

"Bofur's still not callin' parts by their proper name?" the tallest Dwarf asked.

"His brain is too small to remember all those names," Nori chuckled out.

"It should be in the center of the engine," Thorin said, trying to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks. "Dwalin, you find the food. Nori, you search their cargo bay for anything of use to us."

"You'll look for you precious jackhammer?" Nori asked gleefully. Dwalin punched him in the arm and the thief just broke out into peals of laughter again.

A great tremor ran through the ship, jolting the three Dwarves sideways before Fili's voice filtered over the intercom.

"I _told_ you not to hold that button for too long," he was saying to Kili.

"You told me to hold it for five seconds," Kili retorted, his voice fainter than Fili's.

"That was eight seconds."

"Was not!"

"Looks like we're in the clear," Dwalin said to Thorin before he stepped up to a control panel and jammed down the red button. An alarm blared overhead as the cargo bay doors opened, releasing stale air into their own ship. Dwalin plugged his nose and Thorin coughed. Nori just wrinkled his nose at it and delicately sniffed the air.

"The engine's not running," he said. "Life support must have shut down sometime. Maybe that's why they abandoned ship."

"Keep the doors between the ship open," Thorin ordered. "If you start to feel dizzy head back over here immediately. I do not want a repeat of Harad." Drawing his sword, he crossed the connecting tunnel to the adjacent ship. The _Speeder's_ doors opened with another hiss and Thorin stepped in. His trained eyes scanned the room before he pulled his head back in.

"It's clear," he called over his shoulder. Dwalin and Nori followed him quickly, looking around themselves. They stood in small room lined with shattered computer screens and what had once surely been plush carpet.

"Smugglers," Nori said immediately.

"How do you know that?" Dwalin asked hotly.

"The computer screens," Nori said, tapping a knuckle against the shattered glass. "Smuggler's always shatter the computer screens so no one can hack into them or trace them back to the ship."

"You've flown in one of these before?"

"And die in a fiery explosion? No thanks."

"That's enough, you two," Thorin said. Turning around, he pointed at Dwalin. "Find the living areas. Nori, search the cargo bay."

"Yes sir, captain sir," Nori said with a sarcastic salute and he skipped down the hall. "Tra la la la lalley, back to the valley." Dwalin watched him with a pained expression.

"Remind me why we didn't leave him on the Misty Mountains?" Dwalin asked his friend.

"The Goblins would have found him before we left the atmosphere," Thorin said. He turned to make his way out of the room.

"Exactly," Dwalin said.

"And then proceed to make him their king."

"Sure, but . . . wait, what?" Dwalin called after Thorin who just laughed.

Finding the engine room was harder than Thorin had hoped it would be. He made at least four wrong turns and was almost certain he went up the wrong set of stairs twice before he actually found it. He could only be thankful Dwalin wasn't there to make fun of his atrocious directional skills.

Nori had been right. The engine stood stock still in its cradle, the steel cold under touch. Crouching down, Thorin examined the mess of parts before he located the necessary part he needed. He had just pulled the part free from its position when a thought crossed his mind. Thorin stood and walked around the engine, examining every piece he could see. Nothing was missing. The engine wasn't falling apart at the seams like Fili said they did.

"Then why did the crew leave?" Thorin muttered to himself. He shoved the piece in his coat pocket before he turned and left the engine room to find Dwalin and Nori. Dwalin was easy enough to find, making a ruckus in the living area. He was shoving packs of dried food into a bag he'd found, only turning when Thorin arrived.

"Somethin' wrong?" Dwalin asked Thorin warily. He swung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed Grasper the ax with his other hand.

"The engine is still in one piece," Thorin said slowly. "The ship did not break down as Nori thought it did."

"Then why did they leave?" Dwalin asked, mimicking Thorin's earlier thought.

"That I cannot say," Thorin said. "I think it would be best if we find Nori and leave now."

"Alright, I'm done here anyway."

The two Dwarves left the living area quickly to find Nori in the lower cargo bay. Thorin couldn't help but notice it looked like nothing more than a small room as they made their way down the stairs. He could just barely make out Nori crouching over something in the center of the small room.

"Nori," Thorin called to the thief. "We are leaving." When Nori didn't respond, Thorin tried again. "Nori, come on."

"Let's go, you lazy thief," Dwalin roared over Throin's shoulder. Thorin turned to glare at him, rubbing his now ringing ear.

"Was that truly necessary?" Thorin asked. Dwalin responded with a shrug before pushing Thorin down the steps toward Nori who finally turned around.

"You two make more noise than an Oliphaunt in a forest," Nori commented. Behind the thieving Dwarf Thorin could now see a silver case. It was nearly four feet long and two feet wide. The surface was smooth, marked only by a black spider in the dead-center.

"What did you find, Nori?" Dwalin asked warily. Thorin walked around Nori to crouch beside the case, running a hand over it.

"Mithril," he breathed, recognizing the familiar metal.

"Contraband," Nori said gleefully. "Pure black-market contraband."

"What's it worth?" Dwalin asked.

"We can't know until we open it," Nori said. He turned to Thorin with a familiar puppy-dog eye look. "It could be something worth our while."

"Thorin," Dwalin said in a warning tone. "If this is black-market then the government could be after it."

"Then we better not let the government find it," Thorin said. "Grab the other end, Dwalin." The taller Dwarf grumbled but hastened to obey. Together, the two Dwarves lifted the surprisingly light case off the floor.

"Mithril," Dwalin said, blinking in surprise.

"You noticed too?" Thorin asked Dwalin as they carried the case, Dwalin walking backward up the steps.

"That means someone didn't want their precious cargo to be damaged," Nori said. He followed Thorin up the steps and through the halls of the ship into their own. Bofur and Balin were waiting for them on the other side. Bofur brightened curiously at the sight of the crate while Balin frowned.

"What did you find there, lad?" Balin asked Thorin.

"We will not know until we open it," Thorin grunted. He and Dwalin lowered the crate carefully to the floor.

"Did ya find the piece I needed?" Bofur asked.

"Your jackhammer piece?" Nori asked Bofur before breaking out into cackles. The mechanic just looked between Thorin and Nori in confusion. Thorin could do nothing but shrug and hand Bofur the piece the mechanic had asked for.

"Well, are we goin' to open this case or not?" Dwalin asked. Thorin knelt beside the case and tugged at the one of the two latches. It didn't budge.

"Nori," he said in his best commanding tone. The thief knelt down beside him and tested the latches himself.

"Electronic," Nori muttered to himself. Reaching into his pockets, he pulled out a small hand-held device Thorin didn't recognize. Cords were plugged into small computer jacks and Nori sat back on his heels, pressing buttons. "It should only be a few seconds now."

"A few seconds until what?" Bofur asked, his confusion growing. "What did ya guys find over there?" His words were cut off by the latches clicking open automatically.

"That's my girl," Nori crowed. Together he and Thorin pushed the crate's lid open. A heavy mist fell over them from the crate, covering their clothes in drops of water and dissipating before it hit the floor. Balin and Dwalin leaned forward curiously to get better looks. Waving the rest of the mist away, Thorin peered into the crate. His jaw clenched and his stomach dropped.

Inside the crate was a young man no taller than a child. He could have easily been mistaken for one. His copper curls hung down past in chin, his skin an unhealthy pallor. He wore nothing but a pair of plain trousers that ended at his ankles, revealing the curling hair atop his feet.

It was a Halfling.

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><p>AN: _Well, what did you think?_


	3. Discussions and Deliberations

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit! Or a life, for that matter._

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the late update. I actually meant to update yesterday, but then I read what I had already written and I didn't like it. So I rewrote the last two chapters and wrote this one today after all my classes were finished. And I've also been writing these on Castor's computer because mine was broken. But I should get it back tomorrow! So here you have a piece of work written by Pollux and betaed by Castor!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Discussions and Deliberations<strong>

Dwalin had never hated the race of Men more than he did now. He had always considered them a needy lot, using other races they'd found to help produce what they needed. But this? This topped it all. Those filthy Men had dared to touch the Dwarves' Halfling, even after seven of them had been taken out by Dwalin himself before he had been stuck from behind by an electric baton.

Dwalin twisted at the handcuffs behind his back. He had woken up in a dark cell with only a small lamp swinging from the ceiling. Someone had looped the chain of his handcuffs through the rails of the steel chair he sat in, effectively trapping him there. Apparently they had felt it necessary to bind his legs to the chair. Dwalin could only guess they'd done it after he had kicked a Man hard between the legs.

There was a click as the room's only door swung open and Dwalin turned to stare at the new comer. He was a tall Man with cropped dark hair, impeccably dressed for his job. The man consulted a sheet of notes as he strode forward to stand before Dwalin.

"A son of Fundin," the man finally said, lowering the notes. "I knew your father when he worked for the Government of the Free Peoples. He was very influential, a great Dwarf to work with." Dwalin didn't even bother gracing the Man with answer, knowing it wouldn't stop him in the least. "I was sorry to hear of his passing at the fields of Moria. We lost a great Dwarf that day."

"We lost a lot of great Dwarves that day," Dwalin growled, jerking at the handcuffs again.

"For a while it seemed your brother Balin would follow in your father's footsteps," the Man continued. "It was a shame to us all when he left with you for the Blue Mountains. Of course, you were showing true potential for the military. You paperwork says you were aiming to be a general one day."

"Aye, what of it?" Dwalin asked. The Man looked at him over the papers.

"When you were offered the position after the Moria you denied it," he said. "Why?"

"I didn't want the job anymore," Dwalin said with a shrug.

"So you moved to the Blue Mountains and joined the police task force there. Where you spent much of your time trying to hunt down the notorious criminal Nori." Dwalin sneered at the mention of the thief. "Funny how you two should end up working on the same ship for Thorin Durin."

"It wasn't planned, if that's what you're thinkin'."

"Ah, you see, that's exactly what we're thinking." The Man began to pace around the room, his hands clasped behind his back. "Nori is clearly an expert thief. He knows how to sneak about unnoticed and has had deals with the black-market previously. You proved to us early yesterday you are capable of taking on several grown Men."

"Where is this goin'?" Dwalin growled at the Man. "I don't want to her you jabberin' all day long."

"Mr. Dwalin, you are already in enough trouble as it is," the Man said, stopping in his pacing. "It would be best for us all if you would cooperate. Now, Nori's older brother Dori was a professor at the Blue Mountains Academy teaching anthropology of other races."

"What of it?"

"Were you aware Dori is an expert in Halflings?" the Man asked. "One of the few people outside of the race of the Dunedain, I believe."

"Speaking of Halflings," Dwalin said, glaring at the Man. "Where's ours?"

"If you are referring to the Halfling we rescued from your clutches yester at eight o'clock in the morning, he is being examined for any substantial injuries. And, for the record, he is not _your_ Halfling."

"We found him."

"Ah, yes, the illustrious tale of the Dwarves to the rescue. Thorin was telling me about how you found the Halfling."

"But he never got past that part?"

"Unfortunately he refused to go any further than your finds on the ship. But if you'd like to enlighten me further I would be happy to listen."

Dwalin looked the Man up and down, weighing his options before he finally spoke. "We were all a little shocked to find a Halfling in that crate, Thorin more than the rest of us . . ."

O.o.O

Thorin stared at the body in the crate. He didn't notice Balin reach past him to run his fingers through the Halfling's curls.

"Bless me," Bofur breathed. He leaned in for a closer look. "Is that what I think it is?" Balin's hand moved to press against the Halfling's cheek and then to hover by his nose.

"He is breathing," Balin said in surprise.

"But the life support was shut down," Dwalin said, the terror clear in his voice. "How can he possibly be alive when no one could have survived in those conditions?"

Bofur crouched down to run his fingers along the inside of the crate. His fingers pressed against a spongey padding. He knocked on the lid of the crate, hearing a hollow _thunk_.

"This is a status pod," Bofus said wisely. "It keeps people in cryo and alive fer a while. It has its own life support system in the lid to keep anyone alive."

Silence hung in the air while the five Dwarves stared down at the Halfling. Nori and Bofur had both stood up but Thorin remained crouched down, staring at the Halfling's peaceful face. Did he have any idea what kind of situation he was in?

"Why would anyone want ta keep a Halfling in cryo?" Bofur asked no one in particular.

"It's clear," Nori said in disgust. "They wanted to sell him on the black-market. Halflings are so hard to come by you could name any bidding price and someone would take it."

"What do we do?" Balin asked softly. "Thorin?" Thorin's eyes flicked to his old friend before up to Dwalin when the taller Dwarf spoke.

"We space it," Dwalin said. "Open the hatch and let it fly."

"Dwalin!" Balin said in shock. "How can you suggest such a thing? That would be murder."

"We'll all be dead if the Government discovers we've got this on our ship," Dwalin snapped back. "It's a life sentence to even talk to one."

"Yer not throwing him over," Bofur said. He placed himself between Dwalin and the Halfling, his arms crossed. "He doesn't even know what's going on."

"Then he'll die peacefully," Dwalin said. "What would you do if the Government boarded the ship and found the Halfling?"

"Explain what happened," Bofur said as though it was clear.

"The Government doesn't listen to anyone," Dwalin said. "They're all too worried about themselves and whether the public likes them."

"But that would be murder," Balin insisted. "We cannot simply throw a Halfling out to die in space. They are an endangered species."

"Then we find someone who's willing to return it home," Nori suggested.

"And who's goin' to be willin' to do that?"

"Enough," Thorin said before any of the other Dwarves could speak. "Bofur, Dwalin, take the Halfling down to Oin and have him check it out. Bofur, fit it with translators. Balin, Nori, space the crate. We do not want anyone seeing it."

"Aye, lad," Balin said. He and Nori moved to grab the crate but paused when Dwalin grabbed Thorin by the shoulder.

"You can't be serious, Thorin?" Dwalin said. "Do you have any idea what you're even doin'?"

"Aye, I do," Thorin said. He shrugged Dwalin's hand off his shoulder before hurrying up the steps and through the halls to the cockpit. Fili and Kili, who had been laughing, jumped in surprise at his abrupt, and rather loud, arrival.

"Thorin," Kili yelped, falling backward down the steps. "Ow." Thorin ignored him, turning to Fili.

"Chart a course for the Hobbiton moon in the Shire system," he ordered.

"But that's a sanctuary," Fili said. "We would be boarded before we even got in the atmosphere."

"I did not say get us onto the moon," Thorin said rougher than he meant to. "Just get us close enough to hail Gandalf or one of the Dunedain."

"Yes sir," Fili muttered. He turned back to the controls and flipped a few switches before pulling the steering wheel out of its cradle. _The Arkentstone_ eased away from the _Speeder 180_ before taking off with a blast of gasoline and a screech of the engine. Thorin gripped the back of Fili's seat tightly, his eyes scanning every inch of the black sky before them.

"Are you alright, Thorin?" Kili asked. He sat on the lower steps and rubbed his head. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I am fine," Thorin said softly. A red button flashed on the control panel accompanied by a single, long obnoxious tone.

"Someone's opened the safety doors for the cargo bay," Fili said, frowning. He reached over and toggled a switch before checking another screen. "What are Balin and Nori doing? We're not spacing anyone, are we?" His blue eyes turned on Thorin who glowered at him.

"Never you mind right now," Thorin said. "You two will learn at dinner. Just set a course for the Hobbiton moon." He had just turned to head back down to the cargo bay when Oin's voice roared through the intercom.

"THORIN, LADDIE, YOU BETTER GET DOWN HERE!" Oin shouted. Thorin groaned. The volume of Oin's voice suggested his hearing aids had been knocked out again. "NOW!" Oin added loudly.

"Thorin, what's going on?" Fili called after Thorin.

"Never mind," Thorin shouted back before he raced down the hall. Leaping down the steps, he raced through the second level until he reached the other end of the ship where the medical bay was located. Already he could see some kind of fight was going down; and Dwalin was in the middle of it.

Oin stood by the intercom panel in the medical bay, his finger still on the 'speak' button, as he shouted unhelpfully at Dwalin and Bofur, the latter of which had a nose bleed. Dwalin and Bofur were struggling to contain a small mess of flailing limbs. Bofur was struck in the face again with a small fist and he stumbled back, cursing loudly.

Thorin nearly broke down the medical bay doors just trying to open them. He was greeted by Oin's loud shouting and a terrible screeching sound.

"Thorin, help me!" Dwalin shouted. He was attempting to pin down the Halfling's shoulders while the small creature struggled wildly. Jumping into the fray, Thorin grabbed a shoulder and a knee and forced the Halfling to lie down flat on the table. Dwalin managed to pin down the other side and the Halfling was finally stilled. His green eyes flicked around the room at a sickening speed, terror clear in them.

"What happened?" Thorin growled as the Halfling began to struggle again.

"Oin was examinin' him," Dwalin grunted. "Then Bofur tried to put the translators in his ears and he woke up screaming like an orc."

"Oin, straps," Thorin barked at their medic.

"What?" Oin asked in a loud voice.

"STRAPS!" Bofur shouted back. "THORIN WANTS STRAPS!"

"Alright, alright, calm down, laddie," Oin grumbled. "I'm not deaf." Thorin and Dwalin shared a look before they returned their focus to the Halfling. He may not have been very large but by Mahal he was strong.

Oin appeared at Thorin's side with a set of straps in his hands. Looping one around the Halflin's left wrist he managed to tie it down to a d-ring in the table. The other wrist followed then the ankles and finally the wrist. Dwalin and Thorin stepped back to look at the trapped Halfling who opened his mouth and screamed again.

"Shut up!" Dwalin roared before slapping a great paw of a hand over the Halfling's mouth. Thorin turned around and ripped open one of the man drawers in the medical bay. He sifted through the supplies before shutting it and opening another one.

"What are you looking for, laddie?" Oin asked, but Thorin ignored him. Finding what he was looking for, he turned around with a syringe in one hand and a bottle of sedative in the other. Bofur's eyes widened.

"That could kill him," he said through his bloody nose. "You don't know how buch to gib hib." Thorin expertly filled the syringe with the sedative, being careful to only take a dose small enough for a small Dwarfling before he advanced on the Halfling who struggled harder.

"Hold him still, Dwalin," Thorin ordered. Dwalin did so as Thorin pricked the Halfling's wrist and injected the sedative into its bloodstream. It was several seconds before the Halfling's struggles stopped and his body relaxed. His head lolled to the side, his eyes only barely open. There was silence in the room, then Dwalin stepped back to allow Oin to look over the Halfling.

"It's only sedated," Oin finally said, looking over his shoulder at Thorin. "But it should remain calm now."

"Good, we need to keep it that way until it is no longer a threat to us or itself." Thorin threw the syringe into a trashcan then turned back to Oin. "Did you learn anything from your examinations?" he asked the medic.

"What?" Oin asked, cupping a hand around his ear. Bofur, mercifully, stepped up and fiddled with the hearing aid before Oin brightened up. "Ah, that's better. Now what did you say, laddie?"

"What did you learn from the examinations?" Thorin repeated.

"The Halfling is suffering from malnutrition," Oin said sadly, running a hand through the Halfling's hair. "There's a healing bullet wound in his right leg and a terrible scar on the nape of his neck." Thorin and Dwalin frowned at each other before Oin turned the Halfling's head to show them the knotted scar.

"Where we would it get a scar like that?" Dwalin asked softly, running a finger over the marred skin.

"Probably from whoever took it," Oin said. "I've heard Halflings are injected with trackers after their born to keep track of them. The smugglers must have removed it to hide their scent."

"Then Bofur told you where we found the Halfling?" Thorin asked Oin who nodded.

"Aye that he did. But what are we going to do with a Halfling on board. It's illegal."

"We are not keeping it," Thorin said, looking around at the other three Dwarves. "We are returning it to Gandalf so it may return to the sanctuary. Bofur, the translators."

The engineer nodded sadly and stepped up to the medical table. He had managed to staunch his nose bleed with tissues, though blood had dried on the front of his jacket. Crooning gently to the Halfling, he carefully took a hold of a pointed ear and slipped a small ear-bud into the canal. The Halfling jumped in surprise when a stiff wire was hooked up and around its ear. The process was repeated to the other ear and Bofur stepped back.

"Thank you, Bofur," Thorin said. "You may return to the engine room now." The usually smiling Dwarf hastened to obey.

"Are you goin' to tell the rest of the crew?" Dwalin asked Thorin, crossing his arms.

"Aye," Thorin said. "There's no use hiding a secret they will eventually learn about. It is a small ship, after all. We will tell them at dinner tonight. Until then, Oin, keep the Halfling sedated and take whatever actions you need to ensure its health."

"Of course, Thorin," Oin said.

Thorin nodded to each Dwarf in turn before he left the medical bay, only to find Balin waiting for him outside. The older Dwarf nodded through the window to the Halfling inside.

"How is it?" he asked.

"Malnourished," Thorin said. "And healing from previous injuries."

"What kind of injuries?" Thorin crossed his arms at the question and sniffed.

"A bullet wound in his leg and scarring at the base of his neck," Thorin said. "Oin suspects the Halfling had a tracker the smugglers forcibly removed."

"We can always ask Dori for help," Balin suggested wisely. "If I remember correctly he was studying them for several years before you called him to join your crew."

"We are not keeping it," Thorin said gruffly before he turned around to head down the hall. "We are returning it to Gandalf as soon as possible."

"Then we are heading for the Shirt system."

"Aye."

"Thorin," Balin said, stopping in his tracks. Thorin paused and turned to look at his old friend. "What if they do not take it back? The Halfling will have nowhere to go."

"That will not be our problem," Thorin said. "Why would they not take it back? It is an endangered species on the brink of extinction. Any return of a single organism would be a blessing to those Men." Balin planted his hands on his hips, a sure sign he was about to argue, when he sighed in defeat and nodded.

"Aye, you are probably right," he said. "It may be for the best." He glanced once over his shoulder before turning back to Thorin. "Thank you, Thorin."

"For what?"

"For not taking my brother's advice to murder the Halfling. That was a kind thing you did back there. Not many people would have been willing to do such a thing."

"I only did what I felt was best," Thorin said before he turned around to leave.

"When are you going to tell the crew?" Balin asked him quickly. Thorin looked at him over his shoulder.

"Now," he said. He continued down the hall to the common area where he pressed the button on the intercom panel and spoke into the microphone. "I need all crew to the common area immediately. I have some news for you all." Taking his finger off the button, Thorin stepped back and waited.

It took seven minutes for the entire crew to gather at the dining table. Kili and Fili had been the first to arrive, taking their usual positions near the head of the table where Thorin would have sat. Bombur was at the other end with his brother and cousin at his sides. Bofur seemed more dejected then usual sitting with Nori on his other side. Dori sat between his brothers while Gloin, Oin, and Balin seated themselves on the other side of the table. Dwalin stood beside Thorin, his arms crossed.

"I am sure you are all aware of the ship we boarded today," Thorin began. "It was abandoned by smugglers. We managed to find a spare part and some food so the ship will continue to run for another good five months." Dwalin looked at Thorin out of the corner of his eye but Thorin ignored him.

"What else did you find?" Gloin asked Thorin.

"Who said we found anything else?" Dwalin growled.

"Why else would Thorin call a meeting for useless news like that?" Gloin snapped back. "We would have heard it anyway from Bofur or Nori."

"That, Gloin, is because we did not just find food and parts," Thorin said. He clasped his hands behind his back and bowed his head. "The smugglers left behind something extremely precious that Nori managed to find."

"Will it sell for a good price?" Fili asked interestedly.

"Is it gold?" Kili asked.

"Don't be stupid," Gloin snorted. "Gold is far too abundant for low lying smugglers to sell on the black-market. You can buy it anywhere." Thorin's eyes narrowed as the argument began to escalate.

"Then if it's not gold maybe it's mithril," Kili countered. "That's not very abundant, is it? I've heard that can go as high as ten coins a gram."

"Nah," Nori said, waving a hand dismissively. "Mithril goes for a much higher price."

"And how do you know?" Dori asked his brother. "You have never seen an ounce of mithril in your life."

"Well I did today," Nori said.

"So it is mithril," Kili said excitedly, a grin growing on his face. "Excellent. Are we heading to the Misty Mountains?"

"Don't be an idiot," Fili told his brother. He frowned at Thorin. "Thorin's set a course for the Hobbiton moon in the Shire."

"Hobbiton," Gloin repeated. "That's a sanctuary. Why are we going there? Is Dori trying to study Halflings again?"

"I gave up that life when I joined this crew," Dori retorted, crossing his arms. "There is no reason for us to go to Hobbiton, unless . . ." He turned his eyes on Thorin who nodded.

"The smugglers had a Halfling," Thorin said. Silence hung in the air for a moment before Gloin, Bifur, and Dori started shouting.

"Are you _mad_?"

"We'll get arrested for sure!"

Bifur's long string of Khuz-dul ended with a rather rude hand gesture that both Bofur and Bombur shouted at him for. The injured Dwarf just gave a shrug and returned to his seat.

"Shut up!" Dwalin roared, quieting down the arguing Dwarves.

"As I was saying," Thorin said. "We are heading to Hobbiton so we can tell Gandalf and return the Halfling to its sanctuary."

"Why don't we keep it?" Ori asked softly. Twelve pairs of eyes fell on him and he flushed brightly. "I-I don't understand."

"I think you better take this one, Dori," Nori said, nudging his older brother in the ribs. Dori sighed but nodded before he turned to the three youngest Dwarves.

"In the forty-eighth century the race of Men found the Shire system," Dori explained. "The Halflings welcomed them to their land and taught them how to cultivate the soil. It was not until late into the forty-ninth century and the early fiftieth century the Men began to notice the decline of the Halflings to nearly twenty percent of their original numbers. They had polluted the air and water, making the land uninhabitable for the Halflings. Thus, the Act of Restoration was declared in 4914 declared the Shire system a sanctuary for the Halflings to repopulate in. It became illegal to remove a Halfling from the sanctuary and to have one aboard your ship."

"They're popular on the black-market," Nori added quickly. "I've seen lots of people use it for scams. Claim they have a Halfling, get the money, and take off before they reveal they don't have the goods."

"So, if the Government finds out we have a Halfling on board . . ." Fili said slowly.

"Then we're all dead meat," Dwalin said. "We'll be arrested and thrown into prison for the rest of our lives." Ori, Fili, and Kili paled at the thought of prison.

"Which is why we are returning it to its sanctuary," Thorin said. "Gandalf is a reasonable man, he will be thankful to have his Halfling back in its proper home."

"What was it even doing on the smuggler's ship, though?" Gloin asked. "The Dunedain are in charge of the Halflings' sanctuary and they don't let anyone in or out."

"There has been . . . talk," Dori admitted. "I have been keeping up with news of the Halflings. The Government has been talking about closing the sanctuary."

"What?" Bofur asked, his head snapping up. "But the Halflings' population has only increased by thirteen percent since the Act of Restoration."

"New senators have come into office since then," Dori said. "They are starting to think the sanctuary is taking up too many of their resources to continue."

"But if they shut down the sanctuary then the Halflings will lose their protection," Bofur said. "They'd be dead before the end of the century."

"They'd be dead before the end of the decade," Gloin corrected the engineer.

"That is not our problem right now," Thorin said. "We are doing nothing more than returning the Halfling to its sanctuary."

"You said there was mithril," Kili said to Nori. "Where is that then? Can we sell that for money?"

"We spaced it," Nori muttered.

"What?" Gloin demanded. "You spaced a precious metal we could have used to buy us a new ship."

"There's nothing wrong with this ship," Dwalin said, but no one was paying attention to him.

"The Halfling was kept in a mithril cryo case to keep him alive," Nori snapped at Gloin. "If the Government found that they would know what we were doing for sure."

"I did not call you all in here to argue about the morals of the Halfling sanctuary or the price of mithril," Thorin growled out. "I called you here to tell you what we found and what we are doing with it. Fili, how long of a flight is it to the Shire system."

"Nine days," Fili suggested. "Eight if we burn it hot enough."

"Then burn it hot," Thorin said. "I do not want this Halfling on my ship any longer than it needs to be." Fili nodded before he and Kili stood, fleeing to the safety of the cockpit. "I need someone to watch over the Halfling to ensure he does not hurt anyone or himself."

"I'll do it," Bofur said immediately, raising his hand. "I'll watch over the Halfling until we drop him off in Hobbiton. Bifur's fine working on his own, aren't you, Bif?" He turned to his cousin who nodded and growled in Khuz-dul.

"Very well," Thorin said. "I ask you all to please refrain from going anywhere near the medical bay." Several heads nodded eagerly and Thorin waved them all away. "Then we are done here."

O.o.O

It was late in the evening when Dwalin finally found his older brother on the second level. Several other Dwarves, save for Kili who was piloting and Bifur who was still repairing the engine, had already gone to bed. Dwalin had been rather surprised when he noticed his brother wasn't here in their shared quarters. Balin was usually the first to bed at the end of the day. But not, apparently, on this particular day.

Balin was standing outside the medical bay, one arm propped against the window with his forehead resting on it. Dwalin approached his brother carefully from behind, stopping at his side and peering into the medical bay. Someone had covered the Halfling with a blanket. The small creature was now asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. The warm air of the ship had brought to light the black and blue bruises littering the Halfling's face and arms.

"How could anyone strike such an innocent creature?" Balin finally said, shaking his head. "Halflings are peaceful enough, there is no reason to act out in anger toward them."

"They were smugglers," Dwalin said. "They didn't need a good reason, or any reason at all."

"But still," Balin said before sighing. He turned to look at his brother. "Why did you want to murder the poor creature?" he asked his younger brother.

"It was an automatic response," Dwalin argued. "You would have said the same thing if you'd been in my shoes."

"And what shoes are those?" Balin asked. "A murderer's or my younger brother's?"

"A defender's," Dwalin said. "It's my job to protect everyone on this ship. Bringing the Halfling on board only brings more trouble."

"And now? Now that you have seen the Halfling and know of their history, would you still say the same thing?"

Dwalin hesitated before nodding slowly. "Aye, I still suggest we space it." His heart sunk at the sight of Balin shaking his head in disgust. "You don't understand, brother."

"You are right about that," Balin said. "I do not understand. Ever since the battle of Moria you have been different. You attack people left and right for no reason, you yell at the lads for laughing too loud, and now you are suggesting we murder an innocent. What happened to the brother I knew who would have been the first one to defend the Halfling?"

"He died long ago in Azanulbizar."

"I thought you were better than this, Dwalin. I never would have thought you would be so willing to deal out death to those who do not deserve it." Dwalin watched his older brother turn away and head down the hall toward the quarters. "Good night, Dwalin."

"Good night, Balin," Dwalin said softly. He turned back around to look at the Halfling, watching as it shifted in its sleep. Slowly, as though any noise would wake it up, Dwalin entered the medical bay, moving to stand over the creature. There were marks of finger prints on its upper arms too thin to be a Dwarf's and the mark of a hand on its face. The Halfling's eyes flickered under its lids with dreams, completely unaware to the situation it was in.

"Sleep well, little one," Dwalin said softly, running a hand through the Halfling's hair. "I hope for your sake and mine we leave you on Hobbiton and never see you again." Turning on his heel, he left the medical to bay to hunt down Thorin. Maybe the captain would let him sleep in his quarters tonight. Dwalin didn't want to have to face Balin again.

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_So far no one's told me this was a stupid idea, so I'm just going to keep writing to my heart's content. And don't worry, this story is actually going to follow the original storyline of the Hobbit, just not quite yet. After Castor read this chapter she wanted me to write another one . . . then she stole her computer back so she could read other fanfictions. Oh the pains of using your twin sister's computer. Ah, well, update tomorrow! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	4. Consciousness and Conversations

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Hopefully you've been enjoying my story so far! Thanks to everyone who has had the patience to stick with me. This chapter actually ended up being a bit longer than I had anticipated, but I think it turned out alright. Let me know what you think!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Consciousness and Conversations<strong>

Looking back, Bofur supposed it probably wasn't a wise idea to call the warden a cheeky devil with an orc for a mother. The venomous look the warden had given him was hilarious, the extra amount of time it had taken for Bofur's blood sample to get drawn . . . not so much. Bofur had never liked needles, not since that one day when the mines had collapsed and he'd been stuck in the hospital for three weeks.

Fiddling his thumbs, Bofur laid on his jail-cell bed staring at the ceiling. It really was a marvelous piece of work: perfectly designed ceiling tiles that all fit together like pieces of a puzzles. If he wasn't careful he'd be examining the floor next. The Dwarf rolled over with a sigh and crossed his arms under his chin.

"I hope yer alright, Bilbo," Bofur muttered to himself. "Wherever ya are." He looked up in surprise as a voice blared through the intercom.

"Prisoner 1-07, stand with your hands against the wall facing away from the door," the voice said in a bored yet sophisticated tone. "Do not attempt anything or you will be sedated and locked in more secure containment."

"Aye, aye," Bofur grumbled. "It's not like I'd be able ta escape." Sliding from his bed, he moved to stand against the far wall, his palms pressed against the cool steel. He heard the cell door open and footsteps cross the floor before someone grabbed his hands and handcuffed them behind his back. The footsteps receded and Bofur waited patiently for his next instructions.

"Please, sit down," a warm voice said. Bofur turned to see a sophisticated agent in his cell holding a sheaf of papers. The agent motioned to Bofur's bed and Bofur moved slowly to sit down, keeping his eyes on the Man at all times.

"So, you're the engineer of _the Arkenstone_?" the Man asked Bofur politely.

"One of them," Bofur corrected.

"Sorry?"

"I'm one of the engineers," Bofur repeated. "Me cousin Bifur is the other one. He used ta work in the mines with me, but then he got attacked by an orc."

"Of course, the mentally handicapped Dwarf," the agent said, nodding, and Bofur's heart twinged. He hated it when people called Bifur that. His cousin was still smart just . . . not always there all the time. "And your brother Bombur? What about him?"

"He was a cook in the Blue Mountains," Bofur said. "That's how he met his wife. Beautiful dame, she is. You should've been there fer their wedding day, I've never been so drunk in all me life."

"Yes, your file does say you've had a series of incidents."

"If you're talkin' about the one with the cat, the barmaid, and the terrible tenor singer I was barely involved. All I did was give the Man a little push off the table." Bofur gave the agent his best grin but the Man didn't reciprocate. "I never did catch yer name."

"Smith," the Man said automatically. "Agent Smith. So, Bofur, what brought you to join Thorin's crew aboard _the Arkenstone_? You've had no previous experiences with engines before, have you?"

"Nope, never touched one before I walked onta that ship," Bofur said, leaning back against the wall. His arms ached uncomfortably in the new position. "But Bifur, bless me, when Bifur first saw that engine . . . I don't think I've ever seen anyone so excited in all me life."

"And yet Bifur has never had any experience with engines before either."

"Oh, aye, I think it has somethin' ta do with that ax in his head. First we thought he just couldn't speak Westron anymore, then he started gettin' smart about weird things."

"What sort of . . . things?"

"Well, I remember this one time, it was only a few months after Bifur'd gotten the ax in his head, me cousin saw one of them weaving looms and just started weaving a new tapestry. The owner of the shop hired him on right away when she saw his masterpiece."

"You're saying your cousin taught himself about the engine."

"Aye," Bofur said, a twinkle in his eye. "Bifur's always had a knack with teachin' himself new things. Though . . . I don't think Thorin was happy when Bifur started pullin' apart the engine ta see what did what. Scariest day of me life when the life support suddenly went down." Agent Smith smiled at that and he moved to stand directly before Bofur. "What's this all about, anyway?"

"We are trying to learn more about the thirteen of you," Agent Smith said. "And how you could have possibly kidnapped a Halfling and slipped him under our nose for the past several months."

"Oh, you mean Bilbo," Bofur said.

"Bilbo, so the Halfling has a name now?"

"Who doesn't?" Bofur asked the Man. "Ya've got a name and so've I. Why wouldn't Bilbo have a name?"

"Neither Thorin nor Dwalin used the Halfling's name when I spoke to them. They either referred to him as 'the Halfling' or 'the Hobbit'."

"They only call Bilbo by his name when we're alone on the ship. They don't like others knowin' his name."

"Why not?"

Bofur gave him his best 'are you serious' look. "We Dwarves are very secret about our true names."

"And you think Bilbo is a secret name?"

"No, I just think Thorin and Dwalin are bein' overprotective again. They only stop doin' that when Bilbo climbs inta the rafters and starts throwin' things at them."

"And why would that stop them?"

Bofur's look only increased. "Have you never had a Hobbit throw knick-knacks at ya before? They've got a mean aim."

"No, I'm sorry to say I have never encountered a Hobbit before this day."

"Where is Bilbo by the way?" Bofur asked, leaning to peer around the Man. "He's not with you, I see." The Man hesitated before answering.

"Bilbo is currently being examined for any psychological damage that may have occurred while he was on your ship," he finally said. "So far preliminary examinations have shown multiple scarring tissues, all of which has been expertly healed."

"That's Oin fer ya," Bofur said. He leaned back against the wall once more. "He's our healer."

"I gathered that from my previous conversations with Thorin and Dwalin."

"You've been talkin' with them? How are they, still causin' trouble?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But both have been kind enough to enlighten me on how you found the Halfling."

"Then ya've heard our story. Did they tell you about the time when Bilbo convinced three trolls not ta eat us?" According to the agent's mask of horror they hadn't.

"Trolls?" the Man choked, and Bofur sighed to himself.

"Where did they leave off?" he asked.

"Um, well, Thorin had just admitted about finding the Halfling and telling you that you were dropping him off on Hobbiton."

"Alright," Bofur said, nodding. He crossed his legs underneath him and settled into his best storytelling voice. "I volunteered ta watch the Halfling until he woke up, it took a lot longer than I thought it would . . ."

O.o.O

He didn't know whether he was asleep or dead. No sound reached his ears. No light reached his eyes. He didn't dream. He didn't think. Everything was black. Black as the everlasting night that lay over him.

And then, suddenly, it wasn't. The light was too bright and the sounds were too loud. He was aware of monsters roaring over him, trying to hold him down. Their sounds were guttural, their claws were harsh. He tried to fight them, screaming for help, but they lashed him down with their tentacles and one of the monsters roared in his face before slapping his mouth. Another stabbed him with a stinger and black crept back into his world, leaving him to watch everything around him in a haze until he succumbed to sleep.

He swam in and out of focus for what felt like years, aware of hands rearranging his limbs and soft voices speaking over him. Something heavy was laid on him. Needles pricked him. Fingers ran through his hair. Bilbo started to wonder when he was going to wake up from this strange nightmare he was having. He just wanted to go home, hear the fire crackling in the fire place and his neighbors calling back and forth.

_Snick_.

Maybe he should have strawberries today.

_Snick_.

Or jam with toast.

_Snick_.

What _was_ that sound? It didn't sound like anything he had heard before. Or maybe it did . . . Bilbo didn't know anymore. His mind was too muddled to think properly.

_Snick_.

Bilbo could have sworn there were weights on his eyelids, just opening them was a struggle for him. The first thing he saw was a steel dome hovering over him filled with several clear orbs. It took several seconds for him to realize he was staring at a light fixture. A bubble of laughter burst from his lips and the strange sound to his right stopped. A face he had never seen before appeared in his vision: dark pigtails, a funny curling mustache, a large nose, and a twinkling grin that spoke only of mischief.

Lips moved but no sound reached Bilbo's ears and he frowned before shaking his head to clear the buzz in his ears. The face above him frowned a hand tickled his ear for a moment. A loud screeching filled Bilbo's ear and he imitated the sound himself, causing the face above him to jump.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Bilbo heard him saying. "These little buggers can be a wee bit unpredictable." The hand tickled his ear again and the screeching stopped. It then moved to Bilbo's ear and suddenly Bilbo could hear clearly again.

"Sorry," the newcomer said with a sheepish grin. "I wasn't sure what frequency ya'd hear through the translators so I just left them off. I hope I didn't hurt ya too badly."

Bilbo, still slightly delirious, tried to reach up and poke the face's large nose (could it _really_ be that big?) but found himself incapable of moving. Looking down, he found why. His arms, legs, and waist had been strapped down to the table. Tubes were taped down to his wrist and there was a plastic covering over his right leg. He was suddenly aware of the itching, burning sensation in that particular appendage and he whimpered, struggling weakly against his constraints.

"Easy there, just try and relax," Big Nose said, laying a hand gently on Bilbo's arm. "Ya don't want ta move too much or Oin'll knock ya out again. He's already had ya under fer five days. Ya kept stressin' yerself too much fer yer wee heart ta handle." Bilbo turned his head to stare at Big Nose to see concern in his eyes. "I'm Bofur."

"Bo-fur," Bilbo tried to say but his throat was too dry and he coughed hard.

"Oh, here, let me help ya," Bofur said. Bilbo felt his upper torso being raise and became aware the head of his bed was lifting. Bofur raised a plastic cup to Bilbo's lips as he stroked his hair. "Here ya go, don't drink too fast or Oin'll have a fit." Bilbo sipped at the water slowly with Bofur's help before the cup was taken away. "Better?" Bilbo nodded gratefully. "Alright, well I'm Bofur. What's yer name?"

"Bilbo Baggins."

"Bilbo," Bofur repeated. Something about his new friend bothered Bilbo until a realization hit him.

"You're a Dwarf," Bilbo said in awe. He had only seen Dwarves in his books before. Even then there was next to nothing written about the Dwarves, the race was so secretive.

"Aye, that I am," Bofur said with a cheeky grin. "And yer a Halflin'."

"B-But h-how do you know Hobbitish?" Bilbo asked the Dwarf.

"I don't." The grin was growing on the Dwarf's face. "Yer speakin' Khuz-dul." At Bilbo's confused expression Bofur tapped Bilbo's ear gently. "Thorin had me fit ya with translators I invented meself. They . . . sort of rewire yer brain so we can understand each other. Sorry ya have ta wear them. The translators aren't made fer Hobbitish."

"Where am I?" Bilbo asked. He turned his head to look around himself.

"Yer in the sick bay," Bofur told Bilbo. "Of _the Arkenstone_."

The entire room was white lined with various cupboards, drawers, and counters. Two walls were lined with long windows, the sliding door clear with a red cross emblazoned on it. Beyond the window he could see another Dwarf. This one was slightly shorter with a white beard that flipped at the end. He watched Bilbo with an intense gaze that made the Hobbit uncomfortable. Bofur turned to see what he was looking at and waved to the other Dwarf to come in.

"That's Balin," Bofur said. "He's Thorin's first mate." The glass door slid back with a hiss as the Dwarf named Balin stepped into the room. Bilbo could now see he was a much older Dwarf, going by the lines on his forehead and the glasses perched on his nose.

"It is good to see you awake," Balin told Bilbo pleasantly, patting him on the shoulder. "I thought you would never wake up with the amount of sedative Oin was giving you."

"Oin?" Bilbo said in confusion. He looked between the Dwarves, terror growing in the pit of his stomach. "How did I get here? Where is Gandalf? A-And Hamfast? A-Arathorn?" The Dwarves looked to each other before Balin finally spoke.

"Laddie, do you remember what happened?" he asked gently. Bilbo racked his brain for anything that could help explain his predicament but came up with nothing. Bofur clapped a hand on his head as he shook it back and forth quickly.

"Ya need ta relax," Bofur said. "I keep tellin' ya, Oin's goin' ta have a fit."

"I-I don't know who Oin is."

"He is our medic," Balin said. He removed Bofur's hand from Bilbo's head and smoothed back the Halfling's hair. "And he will have you back under medication if you do not calm yourself down now." Bilbo tried, he really did, to calm down but it wasn't long before a tone sounded loudly behind him and both Bofur and Balin jumped back from him.

The medic bay's door slid back once more and a Dwarf looking stranger than Bofur marched in. He barked too quickly for Bilbo to understand. Bofur looked sheepish while Balin tried to calm the new Dwarf down. Bilbo was aware of the Dwarf approaching him and pinning his wrist down. A needle stung his wrist. He shook his head, mumbling to himself.

"I don't want to sleep," Bilbo said even as he felt the black enveloping him again. A gentle hand patted his wrist and reassuring words were whispered in his ears.

The next time Bilbo woke up he came face to face with a star. At least, that's what he thought it was until a new Dwarf's face swam into view. This one's blond hair and beard had been molded into the shape of a star. Heck, even his eyebrows had been braided into the mix.

"Oi, Bofur," the new Dwarf said. "He's awake."

"Get back, Nori," Bofur said from behind Bilbo. "Yer goin' ta scare him silly again."

"What happened?" Bilbo mumbled as the Dwarf named Nori pulled back from him. Bofur appeared in his vision, the sheepish look still on his face.

"We might have stressed ya out too much," Bofur admitted. "Oin got mad and told us if we did that again then none of us'll be allowed in here."

"Balin said he's sorry," Nori said. He fell into a chair at Bilbo's bedside and pulled out a knife, proceeding to clean under his nails. "He was only trying to help."

"Oin?" Bilbo repeated. "The medic?"

"Aye," Bofur said. "He was the one who came in here when yer heart rate skyrocketed." Bilbo sighed through his nose and looked down at himself once more. The plastic tunnel was still over his right leg. The burning sensation had increased while he'd been asleep. Nori caught him looking and nodded to it.

"They're medical mites," the star-haired Dwarf explained. "Oin said your leg wasn't healing properly, something about lousy smugglers and their useless medicine." He yelped suddenly and glared at Bofur. "Don't kick me!"

"Ya weren't supposed ta say that ta him," Bofur hissed. "Oin'll kick us out of here."

"He's going to learn eventually."

"But it didn't have ta be now!"

"Smugglers?" Bilbo repeated. His brow furrowed as a memory began to surface. "There was a loud bang," he said. Nori and Bofur stopped bickering to turn to him.

"A gunshot?" Nori suggested softly.

"Pain," Bilbo said, trying to remember through the haze of drugs. "They made me sleep. I didn't want to sleep." Nori and Bofur looked to each other before Bofur smoothed Bilbo's hair back.

"No one's goin' ta make ya sleep anymore."

"Except for Oin. Ow! Stop _kicking_ me!"

Bilbo's stomach suddenly grumbled and his face flushed. Bofur gave him his signature cheeky grin and reached for something behind Bilbo's bed.

"We thought ya'd be hungry," the Dwarf said. "Oin's been pumpin' ya full of stuff – ("vitamins and nutrients," Nori muttered) – But that's not goin' ta settle yer stomach." He placed a plate in Bilbo's lap, revealing a plate of dried fruit. "Sorry we don't have anythin' better."

"Should we untie his hands?" Nori asked Bofur. "Oin never said anything."

"I can feed myself," Bilbo said hopefully. He hated the feeling of his arms trapped at his side again. It made him claustrophobic.

"I don't know," Bofur said, chewing his lip. "Thorin'd probably get mad."

"Forget Thorin," Nori said. He reached for Bilbo's wrist and loosened the strap, releasing the Halfling's arm. "He'll be fine."

"Thank you," Bilbo said as Bofur hesitantly released his other arm. He took a piece of fruit and began nibbling on it. "Who's Thorin?" he asked the Dwarves.

"Our captain," Bofur said, his jovial attitude returning in a second. "And just about the sternest Dwarf ya'll ever meet." Bilbo looked between Nori and Bofur before asking a question that had them shifting uncomfortably.

"How did you find me if I was on a smuggling ship?"

"You were, um," Bofur began, uncertain how to explain the situation.

"They jumped ship," Nori said bluntly, yelping as Bofur kicked him. Bilbo couldn't help but smile slightly at their antics. "_Stop it!_"

"But we found ya," Bofur said with a glare at Nori. "And that's what matters. And we're returnin' ya ta yer sanctuary in the Shire." Bilbo's face fell at that.

"We're going to the Shire?"

"You are," Nori said. "We can't exactly go near the Shire system without being tagged by the Government." When Bilbo gave him a confused look he frowned. "You don't about the Government?"

"I know about the Thain," Bilbo said. "And the Master of Buckland."

"Geez, you Halflings sure live sheltered lives," Nori said. He caught Bofur's leg this time in the other Dwarf's attempt to kick him. "I'm just _saying_."

"Don't ya Halflings know anything about the outside world?"

"Hobbits."

"Sorry?"

"We prefer to be called Hobbits," Bilbo explained. He flushed at Nori and Bofur's puzzled expressions. "It's, um, from an old word. And no, we don't really hear about the Big People except from Gandalf. He only comes to show off his fireworks for special events. Sometimes the Dunedain will visit us too."

"Funny," Nori commented drily. "How the Men make a sanctuary for the Halflings and then shelter them from the rest of the galaxy." This time Bofur smacked him upside the head. "Ouch! Would you stop it?"

"Not until ya stop with yer sass."

Bilbo looked between the two Dwarves before speaking. "Are all of Dwarves like this?"

"If you're talking about the race, no," Nori said, rubbing his head. "The Dwarves on our ship, yes."

"How does anything get done?" Bilbo asked, and Bofur and Nori roared with laughter at that.

"Ya sound like Dis," Bofur chuckled. "She's always sayin' the only thin' our crew gets done is runnin' a ship. The rest of the time we're makin' fools of ourselves."

A tapping on the glass made Bilbo jump and he leaned over to see the wildest looking Dwarf he had ever seen. His hair was black peppered with white and his eyes had a slightly crazed look to them. It was the ax, though, stuck in the Dwarf's forehead that caught Bilbo's attention. He couldn't help but stare at this new Dwarf.

"Ah, Bifur," Bofur said to Bilbo. "Me cousin." Bifur the Dwarf knocked at the glass again and crooked a finger at Bofur. "I guess he needs me ta help him with the engine."

"Aye, I better find Dori before he starts hunting for me," Nori said with a sigh.

"It's not even that big of a ship," Bofur said. He patted Bilbo on the head. "Don't worry, we'll send someone down ta keep ya company while we're away."

He and Nori left Bilbo alone in the medic bay. Bilbo's heart ached at the sight of Bofur greeting his cousin enthusiastically. He missed the days when the other Hobbits used to greet him like that. Now they just called him Mad Baggins and avoided him. Picking at the fruit on his plate, Bilbo suddenly found he wasn't that hungry anymore.

O.o.O

Balin looked up from his book as Nori fell into the chair across from him. The star-haired Dwarf propped his heels up on the table and leaned back on the chair's back legs. Dwalin glared at him from where he was cleaning Keeper.

"Where have you been?" Dwalin growled at the thief.

"With Bilbo," Nori said. Dwalin's glare only increased and he clarified. "The Hobbit, he said they don't like being called Halflings."

"Did it go better this time?" Balin asked Nori who nodded happily before rocking back and forth dangerously.

"Bofur left the drip alone like Oin told him to and Bilbo didn't overreact about anything."

"I still think it was mad to bring him aboard," Dwalin said. He didn't miss how Balin completely ignored him. His elder brother had been treating him similarly for the past five days.

"I was sorry to have caused such a reaction from him," Balin said sadly. He carefully marked his place in the book and set it down on the table.

"The smugglers shot him," Nori said. Dwalin stopped cleaning his ax and stared at him with wide eyes.

"_What_?" the tall Dwarf asked in disbelief.

"He saw those medic mites Oin's using on him and remembered a gunshot. The smugglers must have shot him sometime when they were trying to catch him." The front legs of his chair hit the floor when Dwalin suddenly stood from his seat and left for the sleeping quarters.

"I'll be in my bunk," the warrior grumbled. Balin watched him go before shaking his head.

"What's his problem?" Nori asked Balin.

"I think he is confused," Balin said. "Ever since Bilbo awoke my brother has appeared to be torn about his previous statement."

"The one where he wanted to space Bilbo."

"Aye, that is the one."

"We probably wouldn't be in this situation if we had done it," Nori mused. Balin gave him a look and he hastily added, "Not that I would have wanted to do it anyway."

"Is Bofur still with Bilbo?" Balin asked the thief.

"Nah, Bifur needed his help with the engine so I sent Dori down to keep Bilbo company."

"That is good. Perhaps Dori will be able to learn a bit more about Bilbo before we return him to Hobbiton."

"Uh huh, right."

"What is it?"

Nori leaned his chair back again. "When we mentioned we're returning him to the sanctuary Bilbo got this pained expression like he didn't want to go back." Balin frowned thoughtfully at the bit of news. "Besides that, the Government is sheltering the Hobbits. Bilbo doesn't know anything about the outside world."

"That is rather odd," Balin said. He scratched his beard, thinking. "Why would the Government feel the need to hide such things from the Hobbits?"

"No idea," Nori said before yawning. Standing, he stretched his arms until his back cracked. "It won't be our problem anymore when Bilbo goes back to the sanctuary. I'm going to take a nap." Balin watched the younger Dwarf leave before turning to the other side of the room.

"You heard all of that?" Balin asked Thorin who stepped around the door. His friend and captain nodded slowly. "That does not sound like good news to me." Thorin's jaw clenched as he spat out the next words.

"It is not our problem. It never was and never will be." He stormed past the dining table and up the stairs, undoubtedly to see what his nephews were up to.

Balin sighed and steepled his fingers, pressing his forehead against them.

"Mahal help us all."

* * *

><p>AN: _What do you think?_

_Castor's at class right now, but I'll have her take a look at the chapter when she gets back. Toodles for now!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	5. Introductions and Insecurities

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_So, I wrote a fourth chapter today, but I hated how it turned out. So I wrote this one instead. It actually works pretty well as an in-between scene. But for now, I'm tired. So I'm calling it a night._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Introductions and Insecurities<strong>

"I look ridiculous."

"Nonsense, you look fine," Nori assured Bilbo before elbowing Bofur hard in the ribs.

"Ow," Bofur grunted, glaring at his friend. "Aye, ya look great, Bilbo. Just stop fiddlin' around with the collar."

"But Ori is larger than I am," Bilbo said as he tugged at the collar of his borrowed shirt. "I look like a fauntling trying to play dress up in his father's clothes."

"Ori will be flattered," Nori snickered. It was Bofur's turn to elbow his friend, enjoying the grunt of pain. He nodded to Bilbo whose face had fallen. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know," Bilbo said softly. "I guess I just can't believe it's almost over. The one time I actually leave the Shire and I'm kidnapped by smugglers."

"Hey, ya don't actually know that," Bofur said soothingly. "It's like ya said, ya don't have any memory past Gandalf tellin' ya 'good mornin''." His face fell when Bilbo didn't immediately cheer up.

"Hey, look at the bright side of things," Nori offered. "Soon you'll be back home with your friends and family."

Bilbo snorted at that. "What friends?" he muttered under his breath. Bofur and Nori looked to each other as Bilbo slipped into a stream of what could only be described as furious gibberish.

"Hobbitish?" Nori suggested to his friend softly.

"We need ta get his mind off this," Bofur said. "Before Oin gets mad again." The two Dwarves thought through their options quickly before Nori brightened with an idea.

"I know!" the star-haired Dwarf said. He hooked his elbow through Bilbo's, pulling his little friend close. "We'll take you for a tour of the ship. Oin said your leg's doing fine now, so it can't be a bad idea."

"Aye, that sounds good," Bofur agreed, heartily clapping Bilbo on the shoulder. "Ya can meet some of the other crew while we're at it."

"I-I don't know," Bilbo began to say. Any argument he was going to say was cut off when Nori and Bofur pulled him from the medical bay.

"Alright, so ya already know the sick bay inside and out," Bofur said, gesturing to the room behind them. "It's on the far end of the ship under the engine and above the cargo bay, second floor. Then ya just hop and skip up these few stairs." Bofur demonstrated enthusiastically, leaping up the four short stairs. "And ya get ta the dining area." Nori pushed Bilbo after Bofur and followed them both through the doorway.

"Most of the big meetings Thorin calls happen in here," Nori told Bilbo. "Come to think of it, everything big happens in here: dinner, games, meetings . . ." He trailed off thoughtfully.

"Anyway, ya already know my brother Bombur," Bofur said, waving to the rotund Dwarf in the kitchen.

"Hello, Mr. Bilbo," Bombur said to the Hobbit enthusiastically.

"H-Hello," Bilbo said, wishing more than ever he could hide behind Nori or Bofur. Neither Dwarf would let him as they held him between each other.

"Alright, that's enough of that eye candy," Nori said before dragging Bilbo further down the hall. "And on the other side of the ship are the sleeping quarters for most of the crew."

"What do you mean 'most of the crew'?" Bilbo asked nervously.

"Kili, Fili, Bofur, and Bifur have to sleep up on the first floor," Nori explained. "That way they can get to the engine and the cockpit quickly."

"Oh, aye, we can't let those nasty orcs catch us by surprise."

"_Orcs_?"

Nori ignored Bilbo's exclamation in favor of leading him down another small set of stairs and into a small hallway. Six doors lined the hall, three on either side. Each door was emblazoned with words carved carefully in Khuz-dul. Some doors had two or three names while others had only one.

"I share a room with Dori and Ori," Nori told Bilbo, pausing by a door with three names on it. "My older and younger brothers." He wrenched the door open to reveal a Dwarf with intricate silver braids.

"Oi!" the Dwarf yelled in surprise when he saw the three of them. "How many times have I told you to knock, Nori?"

"That's Dori," Bofur whispered in Bilbo's ear. "He's a mother hen if ya let him be around ya fer too long."

"We're showing Bilbo around the ship," Nori told Dori in a bored tone. "I thought we'd show him a few rooms down here before heading up to the cockpit and the engine."

"Well, alright," Dori said carefully, eyeing Nori suspiciously. "But don't be nicking anything this time."

"They'd all find out eventually," Nori said before he shut the door. He turned to Bilbo and shuddered. "Sometimes my brother annoys me so much I just want to . . . urgh." He stormed away.

"Does Nori really nick things?" Bilbo asked Bofur cautiously.

"Oh, aye," Bofur said. "When he gets especially bored he sees how long it takes fer the whole crew ta notice their clothes are goin' missin'."

"What's the record?"

"Two and a half weeks," Bofur said, causing Bilbo to choke. "We all just kind of blamed it on our lack of washin' our clothes very often."

"I can still hear you two talking," Nori called back to them. He was standing by another door waiting for them. As they approached he pulled the door open without bothering to knock as Dori had requested. "And here's Oin and Gloin."

"Oi!" Gloin shouted furiously. He calmed down, though, when he saw Bilbo was with the two misfits. "It's just you three."

"We're showin' Bilbo around," Bofur said cheerfully, clapping Bilbo on the shoulder.

"Gloin's in charge of the money with the ship and the crew," Nori told Bilbo. "He makes sure we don't spend it all on ale and tobacco."

"And Oin's our medic," Bofur added. He motioned to the older Dwarf's turned back. "He's gone a bit deaf in his old age so he wears hearin' aids. But sometimes he likes ta turn them off when we're all bein' too loud."

"It becomes a real problem when need him," Gloin muttered. "Why don't you three find someone else to play with? I'm busy trying to add up last month's bills."

"Great idea, Gloin," Nori said before shutting the door quickly. "Never," he said seriously to Bilbo. "Let Gloin start talking about money. He'll talk your ear off. Onward and forward!"

The trio returned to the dining area where they took a flight of stairs up to the third level, emerging in the middle of a long hall. At one end Bilbo could see the makings of an engine and on the other the night sky.

"Alright, so this is my room," Bofur patted a steel trap door in the wall. "Bifur sleeps in the room next ta me, and Fili and Kili sleep in those two rooms." He motioned to the last two doors down the hall.

"How do you open the door?" Bilbo asked curiously. "It looks embedded into the wall."

"Easy," Bofur said. "Ya just pull the door at one end and push with yer foot at the other." He demonstrated by jerking at a handle at the top of the door and kicking at the base. The door slid open with hardly a squeak, revealing a ladder underneath. "The doors are on hinges."

"Boring," Nori said with a yawn. He dragged Bilbo toward the engine room. "I bet you can already guess what's in here."

"The heater?" Bilbo joked and Nori chuckled, ruffling his hair.

"Good one."

"Bifur should be in here somewhere," Bofur commented as he wandered in behind Nori and Bilbo. He looked around the room curiously. "I wonder where he's gotten off ta."

Bilbo, who had been inspecting the whirling engine with a keen interested, shrieked in surprise when someone landed behind him. He whirled about to find himself face to face with the most ferocious Dwarf he had yet to meet. Bifur the Dwarf with an ax in his head. Bifur looked Bilbo up and down before saying something to Bofur in a guttural language.

"Aye, that's the Hobbit," Bofur said. "Bilbo, meet Bifur. I know ya saw him yesterday, but this time ya can really meet him."

"Th-There's an ax in his head," Bilbo squeaked out before he could stop himself. Bifur leaned forward so their noses were almost touching and motioned to the ax before saying something.

"Bif, I don't think Bilbo wants ta touch the ax," Bofur said slowly. "He almost passed out at the sight of his own blood."

"He'll be fine," Nori admonished. "It's just an ax."

"No, I-I think I'd rather not touch the ax, thank you," Bilbo said. But before anyone could stop him, Bifur grabbed Bilbo's right hand and laid it on the ax in his head. Bilbo froze, his eyes wide. The Dwarf and Hobbit stayed like for a full minute before Bifur nodded to himself and stepped back, releasing Bilbo. He turned around and vanished behind the engine.

"D-Did I just touch an ax embedded in a Dwarf's head?" Bilbo asked in disbelief. He jumped when Nori howled with laughter.

"You should have seen your face!" Nori laughed, clutching his middle. "You looked ready to faint on the spo- ow!"

"Stop teasin' him," Bofur chided his friend before he turned back to Bilbo. "Sorry about Bifur, Bilbo, his mind's not always all there."

"Because of the ax?" Bilbo asked.

"Because of the ax," Bofur agreed. He then proceeded to stomp on Nori's foot when the thieving Dwarf fell over laughing again.

"Ouch!"

A terrible screeching sound filled the engine room and the two Dwarves and Hobbit jumped in surprise. Bifur could be heard cursing on the other side.

"What was that?" Bilbo asked Bofur who shrugged.

"I have no idea. She's been making that sound fer a while now. It just sort of pops up in the middle of the night then fades away."

"Horrible alarm clock," Nori muttered, rubbing his foot.

Bilbo approached the engine, watching it whirl around and around in its cradle. Bilbo's eyes followed the pieces keenly until he located the part making the sound. His hand darting forward, he wrapped his fingers around the part and jerked it free. The part came out easily enough and the screeching sound stopped abruptly. Bifur's head popped up like a gopher's. He looked about himself in confusion before disappearing behind the engine again.

"What did ya just do?" Bofur asked Bilbo.

"Did you break the engine?" Nori asked in awe before a grin cracked across his face. "You broke the engine!" he guffawed.

"On the contrary," Bilbo said, tossing the piece into the air and catching it again. "I fixed the engine. This piece is useless."

"It is?" Bofur asked. He caught the metal piece when Bilbo tossed it to him.

"If that piece broke off in the middle of the night the life support's oxygen tank would cause a backup that would eventually asphyxiate you all in your sleep." That caused Nori to stop laughing at once.

"But what does the piece do?" Bofur asked, looking through the round piece. "Don't we need this?"

"It doesn't even go there," Bilbo said with a sigh.

"Bif, are ya stickin' pieces where they don't belon' again?" Bofur shouted over the engine. His replied angrily and the Dwarf's face turned beet red. "I didn't do it! I've never seen this part before in my life!"

"Those two will be at it for the next three hours," Nori told Bilbo with a sigh. Grabbing Bilbo's arm, he dragged the Hobbit down the hall. "It's best if we just leave them to it."

"They're not going to hurt each other though, right?" Bilbo asked.

"Nah, they'll be fine." Bilbo leapt in surprise as metal struck metal.

"Bif! Don't throw things at me!"

"Or not."

"What did you break this time, Nori?" a blond Dwarf asked from inside the cockpit. Bilbo and Nori entered the room to find him reclining in a chair, his feet propped up on a control panel.

"This time it wasn't me," Nori said truthfully. "Bilbo did it. Bilbo, this is Fili. He's Thorin's nephew and one of the pilots of the ship."

"Aren't you a little young to be a pilot?" Bilbo asked Fili curiously.

"Hey," Fili said, pointing a finger at Bilbo. "I am eighty-two years old. That's plenty old enough to flying a ship. Besides, Kili's younger."

"Only by five years." A dark head popped up from a lower deck. "I'm Kili, seventy-seven years old."

"Bilbo Baggins at your service," Bilbo said. Fili and Kili looked to each other before Fili stood from his chair and Kili leapt up the stairs. They stood side by side, their shoulders almost touching.

"Oh, for Mahal's sake! Do you have to do this every time?" Nori demanded from the brothers who ignored him.

"Fili," Fili said with a very serious expression.

"And Kili," Kili added.

"At your service," they said together, giving Bilbo deep bows.

"You two are ridiculous," Nori muttered under his breath.

"Not as ridiculous as you look after three days without bathing," Kili joked. His eyes widened when Nori darted forward and pushed him backward down the steps. Bilbo's hands flew to his mouth in horror.

"Nori!"

"Relax," Nori told Bilbo. "Dwarves have thick skulls. So when stuff like this happens - ," he pointed his thumb over his shoulder just as Bofur's voice carried down the hall.

"Ouch! Stop throwin' the wrenches at me, Bifur!"

"We don't get too badly injured," Nori finished.

"It's still not nice," Kili muttered from the lower deck. Fili fell back into his seat, his feet immediately returning to the control panel. His eyes followed Bilbo as the Hobbit wandered forward to stare out the windshield.

"It's so beautiful," Bilbo breathed. "All those stars just sitting there in the sky."

"They're nice," Fili agreed. "But you can pretty sick of them when you stare at them for too long."

"How far are we from the Shire?" Bilbo asked Fili softly. Fili shrugged nonchalantly before answering.

"Two, three days. It all depends on whether or not Bofur and Bifur keep the engine running well enough."

Bilbo continued to stare out the sky until he was aware of Nori pulling on his arm. Nori led him back down the hall where they descended the stairs (leaving Bofur to fend off Bifur's wrath), and down another set where they came out on a gangway.

"And this is the cargo bay on the lower level," Nori told Bilbo. The metal gangway they stood on, Bilbo could see, ran around the entire perimeter of the cargo bay, stopping at the other end of the ship. A staircase directly before them and two more at the other ends of the gangway led down to the bottom level of the cargo bay.

"There are four alternate pods on this ship," Nori said, pointing at four metal doors. "One of them isn't functioning right now, we can't figure out why. Ori uses another for reading and drawing maps. He's our navigator on the ship. And the other two are just sitting around waiting to be used." Bilbo looked up at the ceiling to see metal rafters crisscrossing across the large expanse, making an almost geometrical net design.

The sound of metal on metal caught Bilbo's attention and he leaned over the edge of the gangway to see two Dwarves sparring below. One carried a single sword in his hands, swinging it as hard as he could at his companion who dodged every blow. The other Dwarf was rather heavily tattooed, in Bilbo's opinion, and carried two axes in his hands.

"That's Thorin and Dwalin," Nori said. "Thorin's captain of the ship."

"What about Dwalin?" Bilbo asked curiously. He watched as the two Dwarves locked weapons and wrestled back and forth.

"He's a guard . . . sort. He keeps trouble away from the ship and makes sure Fili and Kili don't get into trouble."

"And you," Bilbo said, turning to look at Nori. Nori grinned cheekily at him.

"And me, on occasion. I don't think he's forgiven me for the Blue Mountains yet."

Bilbo turned back to the sparring session to see it had stopped. Dwalin was talking to someone standing under the gangway while Thorin had turned around, his gaze focused upward. At Bilbo. The Hobbit swallowed hard. He had never had someone glare at him with so much hate before. Not even Lobelia Bracegirdle did, and she detested him!

"I-I want to go back," Bilbo said, backing away from the gangway. "T-To the medical bay."

"But you just got out," Nori protested. "Don't you want to look around a bit more?"

"N-No, thank you, I'm fine. I-I had a good time." And with that Bilbo turned and fled back up the stairs. Nori turned around to glare down at Thorin.

"Nice going, Thorin," he shouted. "We had just gotten him out of the medical bay."

"Do not let him get too comfortable, Nori," Thorin warned. "The Halfling is not here to stay."

"Says who?" Nori countered.

"I do," Thorin snapped back. "Now go find Ori and see if he cannot find us a faster route to the Shire system." Nori snorted in disgust before disappearing back up the stairs.

O.o.O

"Thorin seems to have made his position very clear to Bilbo," Agent Smith commented to Bofur.

"Aye, that he did," Bofur agreed. "Bilbo refused ta leave the medical bay after that, even fer meals."

"It's strange, though," the Man said, scratching his chin. "The way Thorin speaks about Bilbo he seems to hold the Halfling in great respect."

"That's a story fer someone else ta tell ya," Bofur said before he yawned. "Bifur's been keepin' me with his yowlin' at night."

"I'll leave you to rest," Agent Smith said. "Thank you for your time." He moved to leave when Bofur's words caused him to pause.

"Ya really think yer doin' what's best fer Bilbo," the Dwarf said, his eyes closed. "But ya should really ask him yerself."

Agent Smith watched Bofur for a full minute. When the Dwarf didn't elaborate any further he left, shutting the cell door behind him.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I'll try to update a better chapter tomorrow than I wrote today. I hope you at least enjoyed this one! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	6. Histories and Healing

Disclaimer: _I think I need to get a life . . . or to at least actually do my homework. I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_I think I was a little late on updating this chapter today, sorry about that. I got a little stressed after all my classes today (six _hours_, bleagh). Anyway, this chapter might not be as good as I hoped it would be, but it helps set the story a bit more for when the times comes. Right now I'm just continuing to write with what advice Castor has to offer me. Since I'm obviously having returning readers _somebody_ must like this story. Let me know what you think._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Histories and Healing<strong>

If the crew of _the Arkenstone _had been asked to describe Dori using only word they would have had the same answer: worrier. Dori was notorious on the ship for constantly worrying about his younger brothers and even, on occasion, some of the other Dwarves. They used to tease the stressed Dwarf, telling him he would wear a hole through the floor of the ship if he wasn't careful. Their words had done nothing to stop his blood pressure from skyrocketing, though, as he watched Nori leave time and time again for black-market deals and the like.

And now, in prison, Dori was more worried about Bilbo than himself. What would the Government do with the poor Hobbit? Would they try to reinstate him back into Hobbiton? Would they lock him away in a small room with no hope of escape? Thoughts whirled through Dori's head as he paced around his cell, tugging at the end of his bear. Nori had always told him he would pull his beard out if he wasn't careful.

"Prisoner 1-10," a voice squawked over the intercom, causing Dori to jump in surprise. "Stand with your hand against the wall. Any wrong moves will end in severe repercussions."

"How else would it end?" Dori muttered under his breath.

Standing from the bed, Dori moved to stand against the cold steel wall. The door opened behind him and footsteps echoed off the floor. The Dwarf's hands were dragged back one by one and handcuffed together before the footsteps receded and the door shut. Dori turned on the spot to see an exhausted looking agent. The Man's shoulders slumped, his jacket had been unbuttoned and his tie removed. He held a sheaf of papers in one hand a stool in the other.

"You look terrible," Dori commented. The Man sighed and set the stool on the floor before settling himself down.

"You Dwarves caused quite the ruckus after you regained Erebor," he said before motioning to Dori's bed. "Please, take a seat. This may take a while." Dori made his way back to his bed and sat down, watching the Man with a careful eye.

"Agent Smith," the Man said casually. He shuffled the papers in his hand before consulting them. "Your records state you were one of the few Dwarves to take part in the Reintroduction experiment of the Hobbits."

"That is correct," Dori said. "I lived on Bree in a Hobbit reservation among the Hobbits there."

"For how long?" Agent Smith asked.

"Three and a half years?" Dori said then shook his head. "No four and a half years. The years blend together when you leave the mainstream society."

"Now, your records are slightly unclear as to how you came to join this experiment," Agent Smith said. "Gandalf refused to release any information about the participants in the Reintroduction experiment. He stated your privacy during the project had been promised and would remain that way until further notice."

Dori hesitated for a moment before he spoke. "My brothers and I have different fathers," he said. "Our mother left after Ori four years after Ori was born and I was left to raise him. Nori left at the first chance he could for reasons he would not say."

"Were you living in the Blue Mountains at the time?" Agent Smith asked the Dwarf who nodded.

"I was very young at the time of the sacking Erebor," Dori said. "I struggled to raise Ori in the beginning. My only job was a tea shop and that was not earning us enough to continue living in the house. Nori would stop by to visit every once in a while, but I always refused whatever money he had to offer. I did not want stolen money paying for Ori and me."

"Is that when Gandalf approached you?"

"Yes," Dori said softly, looking down at the floor. "I had just been fired from the tea shop when Gandalf approached me with an offer. His organization would pay for my schooling if I agreed to partake in their experiment on the Hobbit Reservation."

"Did you agree immediately?"

"No, I could not leave Ori to fend for himself. So I told Gandalf no and returned home to find Nori was visiting. When Nori heard about the offer he told me to go, he would watch over Ori."

"And you left to live on a Hobbit reservation for four and a half years," Agent Smith finished. He leaned back on his stool, clutching the papers in one hand.

"It was supposed to be for five," Dori admitted. "But I received word halfway through the fourth year that Ori had fallen ill. Gandalf allowed me to leave and promised I would still receive my education."

"Where did you study to become a professor in the Blue Mountains?"

"I studied in Rivendell for seven years." Dori shifted uncomfortably on his bed. "What does this have to do with Bilbo?"

"Everything," Agent Smith said before changing the subject. "What made you join Thorin's crew aboard _the Arkentstone_?"

"Thorin had heard about Ori's expertise with maps," Dori told the human agent. "And he was looking for a navigator."

"So he asked Ori to join his crew."

"Yes, he had already asked Nori to join three months prior so of course Ori was keen to join. He was only sixty-seven at the time so I felt it was my duty as an older brother to make sure he did not get himself into any trouble."

"Was Thorin willing to let you join his crew?" Agent Smith asked. "A professor from the Blue Mountains Academy hardly seems like a fitting position for a ship."

Dori scowled at him. "It may have taken a bit of convincing from Nori, but Thorin allowed me to join in the end," he said. "At first I taught some of the younger Dwarves history and culture. Later Thorin asked me to act as an ambassador for the ship."

"Due to your study of other cultures?"

"Precisely," Dori agreed. "Nori was the ambassador for the black-market and I was the ambassador for the more civilized societies. Now, really, what has any of this to do with Bilbo Baggins?"

"Mr. Dori, due to your involvement with Hobbits you are under heavy speculation by the Government," Agent Smith said. "All the facts are currently pointing at you."

Dori swallowed hard. "Am I the first Dwarf you have talked to?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Not at all," Agent Smith said. "I have spoken with Thorin, Dwalin, and Bofur. Together they have managed to weave together a story, each one stopping at a certain point for another to pick up."

"Just like an old Dwarf tale," Dori said. "Where did Bofur leave off, then?"

"He and your younger brother had shown Bilbo around the ship," the Man said. He crossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his chin in a hand.

"Well, after watching Bilbo interact with Nori and Bofur for a day or two I began to have my suspicions about the Hobbit. Thorin . . . did not react well when I approached him about the matter, though . . ."

O.o.O

Dori found Thorin in the eating area bent over a map laid out on the table. The neat scrawl in the corners could only have been Ori's, Dori having meticulously taught his brother good penmanship. The captain of the ship spared Dori a glance before returning to his map. Dori paused before the table, waiting patiently until Thorin looked back up at him.

"What is it?" Thorin asked gruffly. Dori scowled and crossed his arms. "Has Nori done something again?"

"Besides spending every minute of his time with Bilbo, no," Dori said. Uncrossing his arms, he sighed. "Thorin, I wanted to speak to you about the Hobbit."

"What about it?" Thorin asked. He bent over his map once more, though the stiffness in his shoulders suggested he was listening.

"You know of my involvement with the Hobbit reservation on Bree," Dori said uncertainly. He wasn't sure how well Thorin was going to take this conversation.

"Aye, I remember well," Thorin said. "You spent nearly five years there if I recall."

"Your memory is better than others," Dori muttered. "Nori swore he had forgotten I even existed when I returned."

"Where is this going, Dori?" Thorin asked with a sigh. "I have things to get done."

"I wanted to talk about the prospect of Bilbo returning to Hobbiton," Dori said. Thorin turned his gaze back to him at that. "After seeing firsthand how Hobbits treat one another, I am afraid Bilbo will not be accepted back into the Hobbits' community. They will ostracize him from his town."

"That is not our problem," Thorin said. He straightened up, crossing his arms. "Our only problem is to return Bilbo to Gandalf without getting in trouble with the Government."

"You do not understand, Thorin," Dori argued. "Hobbits are a very peaceful people who want nothing to do with the strangeness of the outside world. From what I gather Bilbo is already considered strange among his people. If he returns to Hobbiton it will not be to a welcoming committee."

"Again, that is not our problem," Thorin said. He returned to looking at his map, scowling when Dori slapped a hand over the moon of Erebor. "Dori, the Halfling is not one of us and it never will. Can you see a Halfling living on board with us? We would have to skirt every Government ship we crossed, avoid every moon and planet that could pose a danger to him."

"We could head for Rivendell," Dori suggested. "Master Elrond would be more than happy to take Bilbo in."

"And do what?" Thorin said. "Return him to the Shire anyway? Whatever choice we make will end badly for the Halfling. It would be better to spare the Elf the trouble and do it ourselves."

"You will not be moved, will you?" Dori asked Thorin.

"No, as I told you I have already made up my mind," Thorin said. "The Halfling should have never left its home."

"Very well," Dori said, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I have argued my case. I hope for your sake Mahal does not hold this against you." Turning on his heel, he marched from the eating area in search of Nori or Ori. Thorin watched him with a dark look before he returned to his map, his eyes straying back to the moon of Erebor and the Lonely Mountain.

O.o.O

Balin paused outside the medical bay to watch Bilbo. The Hobbit was seated in a chair, a book in his hands he had borrowed from Ori. Balin had gone in search of Bilbo after Bofur had mentioned the Hobbit didn't want to do anything with him or Nori.

"_He just sits down in the medical bay lookin' like a kicked puppy,"_ Bofur had said. _"Do ya think ya could talk ta him fer us? Find out what's wron'?"_

Balin steeled himself for an emotional meeting before he entered the medical bay, the door sliding open with a hiss. Bilbo looked up at his arrival then back down at the book. Balin allowed the Hobbit a moment to himself as he pretended to look around the medical bay. The medicinal bottles Oin kept neatly lined up on the shelves had been reordered according to what Dwarvish ruins closely matched what.

"You have put all the medicines beginning with 'l' between 'r' and 's'," Balin commented over his shoulder. Bilbo looked up at him once more, a small smile gracing his lips. "What is the matter, laddie?" Balin finally asked the Hobbit. "Bofur and Nori are worried about you."

"It's nothing, really," Bilbo said, turning a page in his book. "It's actually rather ridiculous."

"Laddie, I helped to raise my younger brother," Balin said as he planted his hands on his hips. "Nothing is ridiculous when you are young." Bilbo looked up from his book again for a full minute before he sighed, letting it fall shut.

"It's just . . ." Bilbo paused, trying to think of how to word his problems. "I don't think Thorin likes me very much."

"Thorin does not like anyone very much," Balin said. When that didn't crack a smile from Bilbo he pulled a chair up beside the Hobbit and sat down. "Thorin has a more difficult history than most."

"It can't be much different than mine," Bilbo said. The look Balin gave him suggested otherwise.

"Thorin is a king in exile," Balin explained. He held up a hand when Bilbo opened his mouth to comment. "Allow me to finish. His father was Thrain and his grandfather was Thror. At the time Thror was king under the mountain and I was one of his advisors. We Dwarves were fighting in a war against the Dragons. You see, there is nothing more in this universe we Dwarves love more than gold and precious jewels. We would mine our treasures and the Dragons would attack our mountains. The last time this happened was with Smaug."

"Smaug," Bilbo repeated in a whisper.

"Aye, he was a fire drake from the north," Balin said. "Unlike many other races, such as Men and Elves, the Dragons are from our planets and moons. Smaug attacked one hundred and seventy-one years ago. He came early one day, attacking the colony Men called Dale near the Lonely Mountain."

"Then he attacked the mountain?" Bilbo asked Balin. His face had gone pale white at the idea of a dragon attacking a helpless town.

"Aye, that he did," Balin agreed sadly. "Thror's greed had grown far too fierce ever since he had found the Arkenstone. Yes, the ship was named after the King's Jewel," he said at Bilbo's look of realization. "Thror had destroyed our relations with the Elves as we flourished. But with the coming of Smaug . . . Not many Dwarves survived the siege. Those who did were forced to find new homes in the Blue Mountains and the Iron Hills. The Elves refused to help us in our greatest time of need."

"There were Elves nearby?" Bilbo asked.

"The Elves have no system of their own," Balin said. He tugged gently at his beard. "They came from far away long before the Men did, settling on abandoned moons and planets. Thranduil had made his home on the neighboring moon and called it the Greenwood."

"And he just abandoned you all?"

"Well, Thror did refuse to return his jewels to him," Balin admitted. "After the siege of Smaug we Dwarves took up arms against the Orcs. Perhaps our most famous battle was the battle of Azanulbizar on Moria. We attempted to take back the mines but it was in vain. The Orcs outnumbered us by far too many."

"Was Thorin in that battle too?" Bilbo asked, shifting in his seat.

"Aye. He, Dwalin, and I partook in that fearsome battle. Azog the Defiler, the most fearsome of all Orcs beheaded Thror during the battle. It was at that time Thorin took up an oaken branch and used it as a shield to defend himself. He defeated Azog in battle and rallied our forces, driving the Orcs back. We won the battle but we lost the mines."

"And ever since then?" Bilbo's question made Balin look up at him. "Where has Thorin been living since then?"

"We have been living on the Blue Mountains," Balin said. "A moon on the edge of the Khazad system where we are from. He worked as a smith when he could while I worked as an educator to young children."

"Why did he buy this ship if he had work?"

"I never did learn," Balin said, looking about himself at the medical bay. "I think the idea of remaining in one place too long bothered him and he bought this ship second hand. It was part of the King's Jewel line of Dwarf carriers. I always thought it was a coincidence how he chose this ship and her name."

"How long have you all been living on this ship?" Bilbo asked. He crossed his legs under himself. "It can't have been too long."

"Five years, I think," Balin said. "Thorin approached Dwalin and I and asked if we would join his crew. Kili and Fili were already on the crew as pilots, being taught by Thorin. Then came Bofur, Bifur and Bombur; then Oin and Gloin; and finally Dori, Nori, and Ori."

"It's quite a crew you have here," Bilbo said dreamily. "You're almost like family."

"You could say that," Balin agreed before nudging Bilbo. "But enough about us. What about you? Bofur and Nori told me you do not have any siblings. But sure you must have someone back you care about?"

"Oh, no one really," Bilbo sighed, rubbing an ear. "Just a few younger cousins and such. The others have always seen me as a little strange for not taking a wife at fifty years old."

"That is quite young in Dwarf years," Balin commented. "At what year do you come of age?" he asked.

"Thirty-three," Bilbo said solemnly. "I don't know why, but I never chose to settle down. I still find myself reading books filled with adventures and looking over maps of the Shire system."

Balin watched his little friend sadly before speaking. "I wish I could help," he finally said. "I really do, but Thorin has made up his mind. We are returning you to your home in the Shire system."

"And then what?" Bilbo asked. "No one's exactly told me just what it is you do." He watched the mischievous smile grow on Balin's lips.

"You did not hear it from me, laddie," the old Dwarf said softly, leaning forward. "But we deal in the black-market, carrying items back and forth for customers. We try to avoid the darker side of the market, contraband and the likes. Sometimes it cannot be avoided, though, not if we want to stay on someone's good side."

"I see," Bilbo said slowly. "Thank you . . . for telling me about Thorin. I'm glad someone on board this ship beside Bofur and Nori like me."

"Oh, I think you will find more than just the three of us like you, laddie," Balin said wisely. "I believe you have met Dori already. Did you know he studied with Hobbits for four and a half years on Bree?"

"He did?" Bilbo asked, brightening up. "No one told me that."

"Oh, aye, I am sure Dori would be more than happy to talk with you about Hobbits and your strange little customs."

"You think?"

"Let me see if I can find him," Balin said. He patted Bilbo on the knee before standing. "Someone needs to ensure you stay out of trouble." He winked at Bilbo and left the medical bay.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I actually had to go back and read some of the Return of the Kings appendices for some of the history. Also, I'm making up some of the Dwarves' ages as I go since they weren't specifically listed by Tolkien or anyone else. I'm off to find my life! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	7. Governments and Guilt

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit! . . . I almost said Hetalia._

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_I forgot to tell you in the last two chapters: I finally got my new computer. That's why I've been able to update so quickly now. I don't have to use Castor's computer, yay! Castor told me I need to stop with all the cliffhangers or I'm going to cause her blood pressure to increase. I didn't even know she had a blood pressure. _**POLLUX! **_Whoops! There she is!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Governments and Guilt<strong>

It had started with a dare from Nali in the Blue Mountains' market place. Nori had only been thirty-six at the time, still immature and free-spirited. Dori had always been running after Nori, trying in vain to keep him out of trouble.

Nali had bet Nori couldn't pickpocket the Man buying bread from the bakery stall across the street. Nori had bet otherwise and proceeded to sneak up behind the Man, slipping his hands into the Man's and stealing his purse. The rush as Nori darted away from the oblivious Man had been wonderful. He wanted it again, wanted to feel the danger of being found out and scolded. Wanted to know the sensation of getting away without a single soul knowing.

Over the years he learned what to and what not to do. Guards and shoppers alike would catch Nori in the attempt and he would never try that trick again, unless he spruced it up with a few sneaky additions. He got better and better, moving on from stealing money to items from shops and even jewelry off the fingers of unsuspecting individuals.

The first time Dwalin had caught him was when Nori had been fifty-two. Dwalin had taken him home where Dori had reacted in horror and promised Nori would do no such thing again. Nori had been so disgusted he'd left the house that night, avoiding Dori for four days before he returned home. He began to leave the home more often until Dori had been fired from the tea shop he had worked at. When Nori heard of Gandalf's offer he had done the only thing he could for his older brother: he settled down to remain home with Ori. He had been eighty-four at the time. Sixty years later, at one hundred and forty-two, he found himself arrested for attempting to help Bilbo escape the Government of the Free People's prison.

Nori and the human agent stared at each other for a full five minutes before either of them spoke. The agent shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Nori allowed himself an inward smirk. Years of thieving and arrests had prepared Nori for any form of interrogation the Men decided to use.

"So," the Man said, tugging uncomfortably at his loose shirt collar. The tie had been removed and was clearly stuffed in his pocket.

"So . . ?" Nori imitated the agent. He shifted in his seat. His hands had been cuffed tightly to the arms to prevent the thief from trying anything.

"Nori the thief," the Man said uncertainly. The stack of papers in his hands were shuffled nervously.

"And Smith the agent," Nori replied with a cocky air. "Are you the good cop or bad cop?"

"Neither," Agent Smith said. "I am an agent of the Government of the Free Peoples. There are no 'good' or 'bad' cops in this room."

"Damn, I was going to ask for an iced mocha with a triple espresso shot." The words had no effect on the agent's expressions whatsoever. "Wow, tough crowd," Nori muttered. "Look, why don't we just skip the interrogation crap and just get straight to the good stuff."

"And what 'good stuff' is that?" Agent Smith asked. He leaned forward, weaving his fingers together and his chin on them. "You and your crew are in - ."

"Yeah, yeah, we're in a lot of trouble," Nori said with a shrug. "What do you want from a crew of smugglers? Long story short, I joined the crew five years ago with my brothers and have been working for Thorin as his thief ever since."

"Your bother told me you are Thorin's direct connection to the black-market," the Man said.

"Yeah, what of it?" Nori asked. "So I deal with shady people. I've been doing it all my life."

"And would any of these 'shady people' have been human traffickers?" Agent Smith asked. Nori surged out of his seat, causing him to leap back in surprise and fall out of his chair.

"Never suggest that again," Nori snarled as he settled back into his seat. His wrenched wrists ached from the sudden movement. "I would never associate myself with those kinds of people."

Agent Smith shakily stood from the floor and righted his seat, sitting down once more. "Nori, I suggest you do not make any moves like that again," he said. "Or you will be sedated and sent to prison without a trial."

"Like the trial's going to be fair anyway," Nori muttered. "Just skip all the niceties and get to the point. What do you want to know?"

"You and your crewmembers found a Halfling late last September," Agent Smith said. "I have already spoken with Thorin, Dwalin, Bofur, and Dori; all of whom have started telling me an interesting story. Do you have anything you want to add to it?"

"Yeah, I do, actually," Nori said. "Where'd Dori leave off?"

"Your brother had confronted Thorin about Bilbo," the agent said. "Balin had told Bilbo of Thorin's history."

"Bilbo had been on the ship for nearly seven days by then," Nori said thoughtfully. "The very next day we reached the Shire system only to find it surrounded by Government ships . . ."

O.o.O

"Thorin, get in here!" Fili's shout carried out of the cockpit. In the engine room, Thorin groaned to himself. Bifur, who he had been speaking to, cocked his head in confusion before returning to his work at the engine.

"Let me know if you need anything else," Thorin told Bifur who nodded and mumbled in Khuzdul. Thorin's knees popped as he straightened up, making his way out of the engine room and down the hall. Fili was sitting stiffly in his chair while Kili stared at a video screen beside him. "What is it, Fili? Why have we stopped?"

"Uh, yeah, the captain's here," Kili told someone on the video screen. "Just a second." Turning around he mouthed 'Government' at Thorin. Thorin's stomach dropped and his jaw clenched. Slowly, he made his way to take Kili's place before the video screen. A Government official, captain of a ship by the looks of his uniform, nodded to him.

"Captain Durin I presume," the Man said.

"Indeed," Thorin said. "And who are you?" Fili kicked his leg and he glared at his nephew out of the corner of his eye. 'Play nice,' Fili mouthed, but Thorin ignored him.

"I am Captain Jones of the _G.F.P_ _Palantir_," the Man – Captain Jones – said. "What is your ship doing on the edge of the Shire system?"

"We have come to speak with Gandalf," Thorin said honestly. "No other reason."

"I see," Captain Jones said. He looked sideways at someone off screen and spoke in muted tones before returning to Thorin. "Captain Durin, prepare for your ship to be boarded and searched. I want every member of your crew at the doors when we arrive." The screen flickered black before Thorin could respond. He stared at the screen in stunned silence for a moment before Fili spoke.

"What do we do?" his elder nephew asked. "Do we run?"

"We're not hauling anything illegal, though," Kili said. At both Fili and Thorin's pointed looks he flushed brightly. "I, um, I meant . . . never mind."

"We stay here and prepare to be boarded," Thorin told his nephews, clapping Fili on the shoulder. "Stop her here and head down to the cargo bay."

"Yes sir," Fili said. He turned back to the console as Kili turned and fled from the room. "What about Bilbo?"

"Leave him to me," Thorin said. Following Kili from the cockpit, he crossed over to the engine room. "Bifur." The permanently injured Dwarf popped up from behind the engine to look at Thorin. "Find your cousins and get down to the cargo bay. We are being boarded." Bifur spoke in Khuzdul and Thorin nodded. "Aye, it is the Government. Do _not_ mention Bilbo to them." Bifur nodded and Thorin pulled out of the engine room. Fili had already left the cockpit to join Kili in the cargo bay.

Thorin descended the stairs into the eating area, Bifur pounding down after him. Dori, Ori, Gloin, and Oin were sitting at the table playing a card game. Bombur's rotund form wandered around the kitchen as he prepared the next meal. Gloin looked up at Thorin's arrival and grinned.

"Where was young Fili going in such a rush?" he asked. "We didn't even get the chance to ask if he wanted to join us."

"He said something about the cargo bay," Dori added as he laid a card down atop Oin's. Bifur barked at him in Khuzdul and the four Dwarves jumped. "What do you mean we are being boarded?"

"We have reached the Shire system," Thorin told his crew as Bifur slipped past him to find Bofur. "Unfortunately the Government found us before we could hail Gandalf. They have requested to board and search the ship."

"What do we do?" Ori asked in terror. The cards in his hands fluttered down to the table, unnoticed by any of the players.

"Get down to the cargo bay," Thorin ordered. "Leave the Halfling to me. Where is Nori?"

"He and Bofur were in the cargo bay last I checked," Gloin told Thorin. He stood, tugging a confused Oin to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Oin asked his older brother.

"To the cargo bay," Gloin told his brother. Whatever Oin was about to say was lost as the descended the stairs to the third level. Dori, Ori, and Bombur were quick to follow him down.

Instead of heading toward the cargo bay with the rest of his crew, Thorin made his way into the sleeping quarters. He knocked on Dwalin and Balin's door. Balin was the one to answer.

"Is something wrong, Thorin?" he asked, frowning. "You do not usually visit us in our quarters." Behind him Thorin could see Dwalin pausing in the action of cleaning his axes.

"The Government is demanding to board," Thorin told his old friend. "Everyone is to go down to the cargo bay."

"Bilbo," Balin breathed.

"I will handle it," Thorin said. He stepped aside, holding the door open for Balin. "The rest of the crew have already made their way down." Balin nodded and quickly left the room. Dwalin had made to follow his older brother but Thorin stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Thorin?" Dwalin asked in confusion.

"Do you remember the niche Kili found in the cockpit our first day on the ship?" Thorin asked the warrior.

"Aye," Dwain said. "What of it?"

"Find the Halfling and get it up there," Thorin ordered.

"It's not goin' to like that," Dwalin commented. Thorin scowled at him.

"It does not have to," he snapped. "Just do what you have to. I would rather not be arrested for the possession of a Halfling today."

"Alright," Dwalin said hesitantly. He dropped his axes to the floor and followed Thorin out of the room.

"Meet me down in the cargo bay when you have finished," Thorin said as he headed for the stairs. "Do not take too long."

Dwalin nodded as he watched Thorin leave the second floor. His eyes fell on Oin's case sitting on the dining table and an idea sparked. Flipping the case open, he removed a small syringe filled with sedative. Syringe in hand, he made his way down the hall toward the medical bay.

O.o.O

Bilbo wasn't quite sure what happened. One moment he had been reading his book and the next the lights had gone black. There was a few seconds in which Bilbo panicked until red emergency lights flickered on. Standing slowly, the Hobbit looked around himself.

"Hello?" he called uncertainly. "Nori? Bofur?" Bilbo slowly made his way around the examination table, careful not to bump into anything. A rustle caused him to whirl around in panic, his heart pounding against his chest. "Balin?" he squeaked out.

A hand clapped down on Bilbo's shoulder and he squealed, leaping in surprise. The hand shoved Bilbo against the wall and pinned him there. Bilbo struggled helplessly as he felt something stab him in the side of the neck. Another yelp left his lips. Something was tossed aside and another hand pinned him against the wall.

"H-Help," Bilbo mumbled as black dots swarmed over his vision. The last thing he saw was a tattooed head before he sank to the floor unconscious.

O.o.O

Thorin watched Dwalin emerge from the second floor stairwell. The taller nodded to him. The deed was done, the Halfling hidden. Thorin nodded back and turned around to face the door, his arms crossed. No one spoke as the minutes ticked by until the ship shuddered.

"They've connected the docking tunnel," Kili whispered unhelpfully. He was standing closer to Thorin than he usually did.

"It's alright, Kili," Fili told his younger brother, taking Kili's trembling hand. "We'll be fine." Dwalin stopped beside Thorin and stood with his legs spread and his arms folded over his chest.

The doors to the cargo bay hissed open and several men marched in. They were all dressed in black police uniforms. Nine connected golden rings were embossed over their heart. The thirteen Dwarves were surrounded and guns aimed warningly at them. Thorin raised his hands slowly in a nonthreatening gesture, his crew slowly imitating him. Captain Jones was the last Man to board the ship. He looked the Dwarves over before addressing Thorin.

"Is this your whole crew, Captain Durin?" he asked.

"It is," Thorin said.

"Thirteen Dwarves seem a little much to run a single ship," the Man commented drily.

"We have two engineers and two pilots," Thorin said. "Bifur and Bofur are the engineers. Fili and Kili, my sister sons, are the pilots."

"You have family aboard the ship," Captain Jones said. "That sounds like a fight waiting to happen."

"We make do with what we have," Thorin said. He didn't bother telling the human captain about the rest of the family members aboard his crew.

"What brings you to the Shire system?" Captain Jones asked Thorin, clasping his hands behind his back. Thorin eyed the gun aiming at his head warily.

"I told you, we are here to speak to Gandalf." Beside him Balin stiffened at his words.

"Gandalf is not here at the moment," Captain Jones said. Thorin's heart pounded against his chest at the words. "He left for Rivendell several weeks ago."

"Rivendell?" Thorin repeated. "What does Gandalf want with the Elves?"

"I believe he was looking for you," Captain Jones said. He strode forward to stand before Thorin, looking down at the Dwarf. "Captain Durin, were you aware this is a one hundred mile restraining order around the Shire system for all non-Government ships currently?"

"No," Thorin said truthfully. "We have been out of range of any news for a short while now."

"Yes, well, there is," the Man said. "Two and a half weeks ago a ship carrying three Dunedain and seven Hobbits was attacked." Thorin's heart was pounding in his throat now. "The ship was headed for a governmental hearing on the matter of the Hobbit's sanctuary. It never made it. The ship was found ten days ago: three Dunedain and six Hobbits dead, one Hobbit missing. The ship had been struck by smugglers." The Man's eyes wandered over the Dwarves.

"We have been nowhere near the Shire system for the past five weeks," Thorin said, his mouth dry.

"I never said the ship was near the Shire system," Captain Jones told Thorin. He stepped back and nodded to the other Men with him. "Search the ship," he ordered. Five of the Men left the cargo bay, three of them heading up the stairs to the first and second floors. "The ship was near Staddle when it was struck."

"That is a Hobbit reservation," Dori said softly. He flushed when the Man's gaze turned on him.

"And how do you know about that particular reservation?" Captain Jones asked. Thorin didn't dare look over his shoulder as Dori spoke.

"I-I have worked a bit with Hobbits before with Gandalf," the fussy Dwarf said quickly.

"A participant of Gandalf's Reintroduction experiment?" Captain Jones asked. Thorin supposed Dori must have nodded because the Man then asked, "How long?"

"Four and a half years on Bree," Dori said stiffly. "Though I spent the first and last three months on Staddle during the experiment."

"I see," the Man said slowly. His gaze turned back to Thorin. "Do you have your papers for the ship?" he asked.

"They are right here," Balin said hurriedly. He procured the papers from his jacket pocket, handing them to Captain Jones. The Man opened the leather case and examined the papers for several minutes before he spoke.

"Everything seems to be in order," he eventually said. Closing the papers, he handed them back to Balin. "If your ship is checks out clean then you will be permitted to leave free. Keep in mind, though, you are not to come this close to the Shire system again." Thorin nodded once before turning back to his crew.

"_Where is Bilbo?_" Balin asked Thorin in quiet Khuzdul.

"_Not here,_" Thorin answered. The crew shifted uneasily in their spots as the Men continued to aim their guns at them. Ori sidled closer to Dori and Nori, managing to wiggle himself between his older brothers.

A stiff silence hung in the air for the next several minutes. The armed Men slowly relaxed until the guns were no longer aimed at the Dwarves. Nori and Bofur had taken it upon themselves to entertain Ori and Kili, trying to take their minds off the situation at hand. They stopped, though, when the Men searching the ship returned. One of them spoke hurriedly to their captain and the crew held their breath. The captain turned to them.

"My men could find nothing of any danger on your ship," he said. "You're free to go. You may want to head to Rivendell to find Gandalf. I'm sure Lord Elrond would be more than happy to help you."

"Thank you," Thorin said, relief racing through him. "We will head there right away."

Captain Jones gave Thorin a farewell nod before turning to his crew and ordering them off. The Men departed in a matter of minutes and the docking tunnel was pulled back. The crew turned on Thorin the moment the Government's ship was gone.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur demanded. "Where's the Hobbit?"

"In the niche up in the cockpit," Thorin said. He had barely finished his sentence when Bofur and Nori had dashed off with Fili and Kili hot on their heels. Balin gave Thorin a confused look before he followed him.

"That was close," Dori muttered, holding Ori close.

"Are we really headin' to Rivendell?" Dwalin asked Thorin.

"Aye," Thorin said, regret in his voice. "We will take the Great East Road through Bree. I want this Halfling off my ship in the next week."

"What if the wizard's not there?" Dwalin asked. Thorin was aware of the remaining crew waiting for his answer.

"We leave it on Rivendell," Thorin sad. "The Elves can return it to the sanctuary here." Dori had opened his mouth to respond when Kili came charging back down to steps to the gangway.

"Oin!" he shouted, leaning precariously over the railing. "It's Bilbo, his heart's not beating!" Thorin had never seen Oin move so fast in all his life. The medic was charging up the stairs after Kili who disappeared back up the stairs. Thorin felt Dwalin stiffen beside him.

"He's dead?" Ori cried out.

O.o.O

Balin looked up as Kili and Oin charged into the cockpit. The medic was quick to kneel down beside, reaching for Bilbo's wrist. Bofur and Nori had been the first to arrive in the cockpit, lifting the panel up from the floor and pulling the Hobbit out of the niche. It had been Nori would have noticed the worst.

"He is not dead," Oin said after a minute. "But his heart is barely beating. We need to get him down to the medical bay immediately." Bofur was the first to react, gathering his small friend into his arms. Oin led the way down the stairs and through the second floor into the medical bay. Nori followed the two other Dwarves, Balin having kept Fili and Kili behind in the cockpit.

"Lay him on the table," Oin ordered Bofur who hurried to obey. He clasped a finger sensor on Bilbo's right pointer finger. Almost immediately the screen behind him began to _beep_ with his heart rate.

"What are ya goin' ta do?" Bofur asked Oin fearfully. Oin dug through a drawer under the bottles of medicine before he procured a small syringe.

"Adrenaline," Oin said simply before he jabbed Bilbo in the thigh, injecting the adrenaline straight into the Hobbit's bloodstream. The syringe was tossed in the trash and the three Dwarves watched the heart monitor with bated breath. It was several minutes before the being increased dramatically and Oin sighed.

"He'll be fine," Oin said, patting Bilbo's knee. "His heart rate is a little erratic right now but it should even out."

"Thank Mahal," Bofur muttered to himself. The doors of the medical bay hissed open to allow Thorin in. Oin rounded on him the moment the captain entered.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded. Thorin's eyes narrowed at the words.

"I do not know what you are talking about," he said.

"No one but you would have been foolhardy enough to inject the Hobbit with such a strong dose of sedative," Oin accused. "You almost killed him."

"That was not me," Thorin said. "I told Dwalin to hide the Halfling so the Government would not find it."

"_Him_!" Bofur said in exasperation. "Bilbo is a 'him' not an 'it'."

"Why would you tell Dwalin to sedate the Hobbit?" Oin asked Thorin hotly. Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out hard, trying to stay calm.

"I did not tell him to sedate the Halfling," he said. "I simply told him to do what he had to."

"You could have killed him," Nori snapped. "What would you have done then?"

"That is not - ," Thorin began, but Bofur interrupted him.

"Ya've hated Bilbo the moment he came onta this ship," the engineer said. "Have ya been plannin' this from the start?"

"I have not been planning anything," Thorin snarled. When Bofur, Nori, and Oin began to speak over one another he roared, "Enough!" The three Dwarves shut up at that. "I told you all very clearly to stay away from the medical bay and you clearly disobeyed me. You allowed the Halfling to wander the ship and speak to the other Dwarves. Until further notice you two, Bofur and Nori, will be confined to your rooms."

"But the engine," Bofur began.

"Bifur can handle it by himself," Thorin said gruffly. "And if either of you disobey my orders again you will find yourself stranded on the closest moon or planet." His words left a stunned silence in the room as he left the medical bay.

"I am going to _kill_ him," Nori growled out the moment Thorin was gone. Bofur laid a hand gently on his shoulder.

"You and me both," his friend said. "But I think Dwalin would kill us before we could do it."

"I can't believe he's acting so nonchalant about this after he almost killed Bilbo," Nori said. He stormed from the medical bay, Bofur following him closely. "The next moon we land on I'm getting off."

"Ya can't be serious?" Bofur said in disbelief. "What about yer brothers?"

"Dori can take care of Ori just fine," Nori snapped. "Besides, Ori is a big Dwarf now, he can handle whatever life throws at him. Are you with me?" he asked. Bofur hesitated.

"I-I don't know," Bofur said slowly. "I've got ta take care of Bif, and I can't leave Bombur alone on this ship. He'd never forgive me."

"Fine, be that way," Nori said before storming away down the hall.

"Bless me," Bofur said, scratching his hair under his hat. "What are we goin' ta do now?"

O.o.O

Balin found his younger brother in their shared bedroom, having left Fili to calm Kili down. Dwalin was pulling clothes from the dresser and stuffing them into a bag. His arsenal of weapon had been laid out on his bed.

"And where do you think you are going?" Balin asked, planting his hands on his hips. Dwalin spared a glance before he turned back to packing.

"The Blue Mountains," Dwalin grunted out. He zipped the bag shut and tossed it onto the bed.

"May I ask why?" Balin asked his younger brother. Dwalin marched past him and opened their shared nightstand to pull his money purse out of the drawer. Balin waited patiently for the answer, knowing it would pay off in the end. And it did. Dwalin groaned and turned about to face him.

"I almost killed a Halflin' today," Dwalin said. "What have I become if I'll willingly attack a helpless person."

"Lost," Balin said. "Lost and stubborn is what you have become. I have been trying to help you for years but you rebuked me every time. How is leaving for the Blue Mountains going to help you in this situation?"

"I'll be off the ship and away from the Halflin'," Dwalin said, returning to his packing.

"Will you return when we have left the Halfling with Gandalf?" Balin asked. He refused to move when Dwalin straightened up, bag in one hand and axe in the other.

"I don't know yet," Dwalin said. "I might not return."

"Neither of those shuttles will get you very far," Balin pointed out. "They will run out of gas before you reach any destination and you will be left dead in the water."

"What do you want me to do, brother?" Dwalin asked helplessly. "The crew will have my head for what I did to the Halfin'."

Balin took a deep breath before speaking. "Stay on the ship," he suggested. When Dwalin opened his mouth to argue he raised a hand. "Just until Bree or Rivendell. You can get off there and find another ride to the Blue Mountains."

"You're not talkin' me out of this?" Dwalin asked in disbelief.

"No, I have had enough of trying to lecture you," Balin told his younger brother. "And I will not be the one to tell Thorin where you disappeared off to. Now, unpack your things and come to dinner before anyone suspects something is up." Balin left the room before Dwalin could say another word, letting the door swing shut behind him. Leaning against the door, Balin sighed sadly.

"Oh, brother," he whispered. "When did you become like this?"

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

**Wah! You! I! Ah! **_Um . . . oops? :3 I think I broke Castor. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	8. Epiphanies and Escape

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Oooh, Castor's going to be mad at me! I decided to stay up late and finish this chapter for you guys instead of going to bed at midnight like I usually do. At least I only have two classes tomorrow!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Epiphanies and Escape<strong>

Nori leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together behind his head. If the agent suspected something strange he didn't say anything. The papers in his hands were shuffled once more and then smoothed out on the table.

"Your captain seems to have made his opinion very clear," Agent Smith commented.

"Tell me about it," Nori said. He rocked his chair back on its back legs. "Bofur and I were confined to our rooms for a day and a half."

"Was this when you reached Bree?" the Agent asked.

"Aye," Nori said, rocking back and forth precariously. "We stopped in Bree to pick up a few items and gas up. Too bad we didn't know something more was going happen."

O.o.O

_Sharp hands grabbed at him from the black shadows as he ran. They tugged at his clothes. They pulled at his hair. High, cold laughter filled his ears and he covered them. But it didn't stop. The laughter continued, the hands grabbed. And suddenly a hole opened beneath him and he was falling down, down, down into a bottomless pit. The laughter turned maniacal and a lid was drawn over the pit._

_Bilbo tried to call out for help. He tried to grab for the walls falling past him. He tried to do something. But nothing worked. No sound came from his lips. The walls bent away from his fingers. And he continued to fall down, down, and down._

_A mess of flailing limbs, Bilbo managed to turn himself over in midair. Then he saw the floor and it was coming up faster than he could have imagined. He couldn't stop himself from falling as the floor flew up to meet him. The cold, hard, heartless steel floor._

Bilbo's eyes flew open, the nightmare frightening him awake. The light shining in his face blinded him and he had to blink several times to clear his vision. When he did he saw he was back in the medical bay with Oin nowhere to be seen. Someone had perched the bed up so Bilbo was in a position between lying down and sitting up. Bilbo tried to sit up but was stopped by something. Looking down, his eyes widened at the sight of the straps that had returned.

"O-Oin?" Bilbo called helplessly. He wriggled against the straps but they refused to give. "Nori? Bofur? Anyone?" His calls went unanswered, the medical bay remaining as silent as the grave. "Please, someone. Anyone, help me."

O.o.O

Dinner was a quiet affair without the presence of Bofur and Nori. Thorin had stuck true to his threats with the engineer and the thief. They had gone to sleep the night before and woken up to find their bedroom doors had been locked from the outside, trapping them until Thorin chose to release them. Access to the medical bay had been blocked off by the common area's steel door connecting to it.

An awkward silence hung in the air as the Dwarves ate, occasionally looking up to one another. Kili had finished his meal ten minutes ago but he still hadn't left the table. He didn't want to be the first to leave the table and Fili still had a ways to go. Thorin sat at the head of the table with his back to the medical bay, eating silently.

"Kili, lad," Balin finally said. "Why not take some dinner to Bofur? I am sure he quite hungry." Thankful for the escape, Kili grabbed the offered plate from Balin.

"Sure thing," he said with a grin before he hopped up from his seat nearly running up the stairs to the third floor. He paused at Bofur's door in the hall and knocked on it.

"Bofur," Kili called through the steel. "I brought you dinner, thought you might be hungry." He waited for a response, smiling when he heard a fist hit the door on the other side. "Alright, you better stand back." Without waiting for another response, Kili punched in the code to the door and grabbed the handle, kicking the door open. Bofur was waiting on the ladder, looking up hopefully.

"Any news on Bilbo?" Bofur asked. Kili crouched down to pass the food down to Bofur who gratefully accepted it.

"Nah," Kili said. "Sorry, Thorin's got him locked up pretty tight." Bofur's face fell at that and Kili wracked his brains for anything to say. "What about you?" he finally asked. "Are you getting anything done down there?"

"Well, Bif gave me a book on engines," Bofur said. He gave Kili is signature smirk. "I think he's tryin' ta get me ta learn the proper names of the parts."

"He's been trying that for five years," Kili commented. Ducking his head, he peeked around Bofur. "Did you rearrange your room?" he asked in disbelief.

"Twice."

"You hate cleaning," Kili laughed.

"I can't argue with that," Bofur agreed, chuckling. "But I've got nothin' better ta do with my time. How's Nori?"

"Pouting," Kili said. "Ori said Nori is hiding his and Dori's things again. He's running out of places, though. Those rooms don't exactly have many niches."

"Aye, well, let me know if anythin' interestin' happens," Bofur said. He made to descend the ladder when he turned back to Kili. "How far are we from Bree?"

Kili shrugged at that. "Another day and a half," he guessed. "Maybe two. Why?"

"Nori told me he's gettin' off at Bree. He can't take much more of Thorin." Kili sat back on his heels, taking in this new bit of information. The silence hung in the air until Bofur finally spoke. "Well, I suppose I better let ya go fly this ship," he said. Before Kili could find anything to say, the jovial Dwarf disappeared down into his bedroom.

Standing, Kili pulled the door shut and locked it. Bifur wandered up the steps, giving him a strange look before he disappeared into the engine room. Kili pursed his lips and made his way down to the cockpit, falling into the pilot's chair to stare at the star-ridden sky. He had been alone for only a few minutes before Fili wandered in.

"I don't see you in the pilot seat very often," Fili commented as he moved to sit in the copilot seat. "You're usually watching the sky from the lower deck." He propped his heels up on the console. When Kili didn't respond he frowned. "Something wrong, Kili?"

"Nah, nothing, I'm fine," Kili said quickly, propping his chin in his hand. Silence lapsed between the brothers before he finally spoke. "Did you know that Nori is planning on leaving?" Fili looked genuinely shocked at this.

"No," he said. "Why would he do that?"

"Bofur said something about him getting sick of Thorin," Kili said. He shifted in his seat and picked at a string on his pants leg. "I can't blame him, though."

"What are you saying, Kili?" Fili asked, kicking his legs of the console. "Are you saying you want to leave too?"

"I don't know," Kili said honestly. "I was so excited when Thorin asked us to join his crew five years ago. I couldn't wait to get up here and actually see the stars." Kili stood from his chair to lean against the railing, staring longingly out the window. "It was fun the first year. But then . . . I don't know."

"Thorin got strict," Fili suggested helpfully. He moved to stand beside his younger brother, wrapping an arm around Kili's shoulders. "Balin told me Dwalin's planning on leaving the ship too. He would have already left if Balin hadn't convinced him to wait until Bree."

Kili scoffed at that, dropping his face into his hand. "What happened?" he asked, his voice muffled. "We all used to get along so well. Then, then . . . Bilbo came." The realization in his voice sparked Fili's interest.

"Are you saying this is Bilbo's fault?" Fili asked.

"No," Kili said quickly. Straightening up, he shrugged Fili's arm off and began pacing about the cockpit. "I'm not saying it's Bilbo's fault this is all happening."

"Then what are you saying?" Fili turned to watch his brother pace, leaning back against the railing.

"I think it's the change," Kili said. "We've been on this ship or five years, just the thirteen of us, and then suddenly Bilbo falls into our lives. What if it was more than just chance?"

"You're saying fate brought Bilbo to us?" Fili said in disbelief. "I think you'll have to blame the smugglers for that, Kili. You heard what that Government captain said."

"Yeah, I did," Kili said. "But what if that wasn't Bilbo? What if fate brought him to us? Don't you get it? This could be our chance."

"Our chance for what?" Fili asked. "Kili, you're not making any sense. What are you even talking about?"

"Oh, never mind," Kili said. "I'm going to bed." He made his way to the first bedroom out of the cockpit and kicked the door open, beginning to climb down the ladder.

"Kili!" Fili called after his brother. Kili's head popped back up.

"Bed," he said. "Wake me up when you want me to fly." Fili shook his head as Kili disappeared and the door shut. Waving a hand in Kili's general direction, Fili fell into the pilot seat. He rested his chin in his hand and watched the stars float by.

"Chance for what?" he wondered aloud to himself. "What was Kili talking about?"

O.o.O

Balin, Dwalin, and Thorin sat around the cleared dining table, mugs of tea set before each of them. The rest of the crew had finished dinner an hour ago, Dori and Ori washing the dishes before they took dinner to Nori. The rest of the crew had cleared out of the dining area quickly, retreating to their respective bedrooms or, in Bifur's case, the engine room.

"Thorin, lad," Balin finally said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I believe it is time we had a talk."

"There is nothing to talk about," Thorin said stiffly. He took a sip of his rather weak tea, courtesy of Dwalin, and set it down on the table with a _thunk_. He missed the look exchanged between Balin and Dwalin. He didn't, however, miss how Balin nodded at him with a pointed look to Dwalin.

Dwalin inhaled deeply before speaking. "Thorin, listen," he said hesitantly. "We've known each other most of our lives. I've followed you into battle and I still would. But . . . well, this is gettin' out of hand."

"What are you saying?" Thorin asked Dwalin, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. Dwalin shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I'm gettin' off at Bree," Dwalin told Thorin. "I almost killed an innocent creature yesterday followin' one of your orders. I can't take makin' another mistake like that." Thorin's grip tightened on his mug, his knuckles turning white. "Do you understand?"

"No, I do not," Thorin said in a strained voice. "What is with the Halfling and the crew's fascination with it?"

"That's now what I'm talkin' about, Thorin," Dwalin argued. Balin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the oncoming headache.

"But that is where this entire mess started," Thorin said. "Ever since that Halfling was brought aboard my ship the crew has been acting out of turn. Now you tell me you are planning on leaving the ship."

"And I do believe he is not the only one," Balin said pointedly.

"You too, Balin?" Thorin asked his old friend. "After everything we have been through together?"

"No, not me," Balin said. He hesitated before adding, "Not yet, anyway. No, I was talking about Dori. He has been expressing an interest in returning to Staddle if Gandalf permits it. He believes he could help Bilbo settle back down into a normal life in that reservation."

"I cannot believe you would all so readily abandon me," Thorin said, his volume growing with every word. "After everything I have done! I gave up a life in the Blue Mountains to run this ship!"

"You are not the only one who did," Balin reminded Thorin calmly, but Thorin continued to rant.

"We were fine," Thorin shouted. He didn't care if his voice carried throughout the ship at the moment. All he cared about was making Balin and Dwalin understand. "We were living happily on this ship. And then that, that . . . _thing_ was brought aboard and suddenly you all want to leave!"

"Bilbo is not a _thing_," Balin told Thorin in a cross voice. "Bilbo is a Hobbit, and as much a person as you or I."

"That Halfling has been nothing but trouble since it got here," Thorin snarled.

"Then why did you brin' it on?" Dwalin demanded. "You were the one who decided to keep it instead of spacin' it." Thorin exhaled hard at that and sat back down in his chair.

"Thorin, laddie," Balin said. "You need to understand. You are driving the crew off this ship with every passing day. Kili and Fili are terrified to be around you any longer. You confined Bofur and Nori to their rooms. And you have treated a person like a pest. If you are not careful, Thorin Oakenshield, you are going to wake up one day and find yourself alone on this ship."

"That Halfling - ," Thorin began but Balin interrupted him.

"Is terrified," Balin said with a frown aimed directly at Thorin. "Look at it from his point of view, Thorin. The lad is on a ship heading for the Government when it is boarded by smugglers. He sees his kin and guards shot down and is taken away. Now he has woken up in an environment where he is clearly not welcome. Bilbo Baggins may not be a Dwarf but he does remind me of a certain one many years ago." Thorin stared at him for a moment before blinking, then blinking again.

"I-I . . ." he said softly.

"You didn't think of it like that," Dwalin suggested. Thorin shook his head and fisted a hand in his hair.

"He is lost," he whispered. "Far from home." Memories of lost treasure and a burning mountain surfaced and he steeled himself.

"Now, here is what I suggest," Balin said wisely. "We all go to bed and try to relax. In the morning you, Thorin, will release Bofur and Nori from the confinement to their rooms, you will apologize to the crew for your behavior, and you will allow them to have contact with Bilbo if they so desire. Then, maybe then, we can avoid losing nearly half our crew on our Bree." Thorin hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Aye, that sounds like a good plan," he said. Balin nodded wisely and stood, taking his mug to deposit in the sink. Pausing by Thorin on the way out, he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Just remember, laddie," Balin said. "Bilbo is in very much a similar position to where you were once." He left the dining area, allowing the words to sink in. Dwalin leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Thorin looked to him with a pain in his heart.

"Are you truly planning to leave?" he asked Dwalin who shrugged.

"That depends," Dwalin said.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you start treating the crew and the Halfling differently."

O.o.O

Bilbo twisted at the restraints around his wrists, biting his lip to stave the pain of it. He had no idea how much time had passed – hours, he was sure – since he had woken up alone in the medical bay. The sound of raised voices had leaked through the steel door, particularly Thorin's saying a single word that made Bilbo's stomach twist.

"_That, that . . . __**thing**__._"

Thing. Was Bilbo really nothing more than an object in Thorin's eyes? How had he, Bilbo, managed to cause this vision? He had barely been on the ship two weeks, hardly knew anyone or what was going on, and already the captain hated him. Well, if no one wanted him around that was fine by Bilbo. He'd fix that easy enough.

With a final wrench, Bilbo yanked his wrist out of the restraint. He had to stop himself from hissing at the burning pain that coursed across the skin. It had turned a violent red, covered in rub marks from the material. Reaching across himself, Bilbo released his other wrist then moved down to his waist and finally his ankles. He leapt out of bed, stumbling slightly, before making his way to the medical bay door.

The dining area was empty when Bilbo dared to slide the steel door open. Still, Bilbo stayed frozen – the door open just a crack – and watched the dimly lit room. He was thankful he had. No sooner had Bilbo opened the door then a large form had stood from the table. It was the Dwarf from before, the one who had drugged him. Bilbo watched as the tattooed toward walked across the dining area to place something in the sink before he disappeared down the sleeping quarters hall.

Bilbo waited with bated breath before sliding the door open further. It squeaked slightly and he froze, cursing himself. No sound or movement came from down the hall, though, and Bilbo knew he was safe for the moment.

Creeping through the dining area, Bilbo descended the stairs to the cargo bay's gangway. From there he made his way across to a pod. The door opened easily enough without a single sound. But once inside, Bilbo realized his dilemma. He had no idea how to fly a ship. He had only ever seen the console from behind Fili and Kili let alone been near one. Knowing engines was one thing, flying a ship was another.

"Blast it," Bilbo muttered to himself. Stepping back out of the pod, he slid the door shut then looked around himself. The cargo bay was empty but for a few crates filling the vast empty spaces below. The rafters above cast eerie shadows across the floor and walls.

"The rafters," Bilbo whispered to himself. They would be sturdy enough to hold a Hobbit and maybe a Dwarf or two. But what Dwarf would be mad enough to climb up into them? From what Bilbo had gathered about Dwarves they had a terrible balance across thin spaces and detested heights.

"Perfect," Bilbo breathed. Scouting the wall of the cargo bay, he eventually found a series of rings screwed into the wall. Clearly they were made for hooks not for Hobbits to climb on. But that's just what Bilbo did. Using the rings, he clambered his way up the wall and into the rafters in the ceiling. They were sturdy and cool beneath his feet, giving Bilbo a sense of security. At the base of a column several of the rafters connected to form a small platform large enough for a Hobbit to lay out on.

Bilbo made his way slowly across the rafters and sat down, pulling his knees to his chest. Until the ship landed somewhere, he would just have to stay here where the Dwarves wouldn't be able to reach him.

And with that somewhat settling thought, he fell asleep.

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Well, it's off to bed with me. Toodles (and good night)._

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	9. Apologies and Apprehension

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry about the story taking so long to actually follow the Hobbit storyline. The way I write a chapter is to just let it flow, like the characters are talking through me. Yeah, yeah, that might sound a little weird to you. But normally Castor and I role-play all our stories out, so I'm just kind of used to it. Alright, excuses aside, here's the next chapter. Castor says I need to stop pulling stunts like this._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Apologies and Apprehension<strong>

Kili had always wanted to see the stars. One could say it was his life ambition. He had grown up on the Blue Mountains where clouds lingered in the sky past sunset and blocked out most of the stars. When Kili and Fili had been younger Thorin would take them out to the wilderness on their birthdays so they could stargaze.

And then, when Kili turned seventy-two, Thorin had approached Fili and Kili and asked if they wanted to join his crew aboard _the Arkenstone_. The fight between Thorin and Dis had shook the house. Kili had thought his one chance to see the stars had been lost. The next morning, though, his mother had given him an engraved stone and had made him promise to return to her. Kili was going to see the stars.

Now, five years later, Kili was thankful he had gotten the chance to see the stars. From what Thorin had suggested, the crew would be sentenced to life in prison. No one would ever hear Kili complain, though. He had gotten to see the stars, fly a ship, meet a Hobbit, and even go on a quest to reclaim Erebor. Let the Men throw him in prison, he had no more life ambitions.

"Prisoner 1-12," a voice squawked over the intercom. "Stand from your bed with your hand against the wall. Any suspicious acts will be punished." Kili obeyed without complaint. He was handcuffed by a guard and turned about to face the agent carrying a stool in his room. The agent nodded to the guard who left with one final warning look to Kili.

The human agent and Kili stared at each for a short while, taking one another's appearance in. The Man, in Kili's opinion, couldn't have looked more unprofessional. His hair had been tousled to stick up, the first few buttons of his collar had been undone, and he was lacking a suit jacket.

"Rough day?" Kili asked the Man conversationally. The Man nodded at him.

"I could ask you the same," he said. The stool was set down on the floor and the agent settled himself onto it, motioning for Kili to sit on the bed. "I see your nose bleed stopped."

"Yeah, it took a few hours," Kili said, seating himself on his cell bed. "I hear you've been talking to the others."

"Where did you hear that from?" the agent asked in a tired voice.

"Have you been in one of these cells?" Kili asked him, nodding back to the wall. "They're not exactly sound proof."

"These cells are only temporary," the human agent said. "They are not to act as permanent prison cells."

"That and Bofur gets pretty loud when he's telling a story," Kili said. A grin spread across his face. "Did he try singing to you?"

"No," the Man said slowly. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs at the knee. "Now, Kili, - ."

"That's me, I never caught your name. What was it?"

"You may call me Agent Smith. Now, you and your older brother Fili are the pilots of _the Arkenstone_, correct?"

"Yep."

"When did you first start piloting the ship?" Agent Smith asked.

"When I was sixty-seven," Kili told him. "The same time I joined the crew with Fili."

"Who taught you to fly the ship?"

"Thorin," Kili said. He grinned sheepishly. "Fili does most of the flying. Thorin doesn't really trust me behind the wheel."

"Why not?"

"He says I'm too rambunctious, so I only fly when Fili needs a break . . . and as a getaway. I'm pretty good with evasive maneuvers, and I can handle Bofur and Bifur when they're messing around with engine again."

"Alright," the agent said, shifting in his seat. "Based on what the other crewmembers have told me you and your brother were keen on Bilbo remaining on your ship. Why is that?"

Kili gave a sarcastic look. "Are you kidding me?" he asked. "Have you never been near a Hobbit before? Bilbo makes life on the ship funner . . . more fun. Is funner a word?" Kili wondered aloud.

"No, I don't believe it is," Agent Smith said. Kili shrugged at that and settled back against the wall, preparing to get comfortable.

"Right, so where did Nori leave off?" he asked.

"Bilbo had just escaped from the medical bay," Agent Smith said. Kili had to hide his smile at the eagerness in the Man's voice.

"Right, well, we didn't actually know where Bilbo was at the time," Kili said. "Or that he had even escaped . . ."

O.o.O

Thorin grumbled to himself and rolled over in his bed. Kili and Fili were at it again, conversing in loud whispers in the dining area. When would they learn their voices carried through the ship?

Giving up on the idea of sleeping in, Thorin threw back the sheets and rolled out of bed. He grabbed a tunic on his way out of his room and padded down the hall to the dining area. Kili and Fili stopped speaking the moment he wandered in. Thorin nodded them both a greeting.

"Morning, Thorin," Fili said.

"Good morning, Fili," Thorin said, filling the kettle to make coffee. "Good morning, Kili." There was a scuffle behind him and Kili yelped.

"Good morning, Thorin," Kili said in a strained voice, and Thorin smiled at the sink. Fili must have kicked his brother again.

"What are you two doing up so early?" Thorin asked his nephews, turning around to face them. Fili and Kili shared a look before answering too quickly for Thorin's liking.

"Nothing," they said together. Thorin raised an eyebrow at that but didn't comment. When neither Fili nor Kili said anything more he grabbed a package of dried fruit and sat at the table with them.

"Kili, would you mind going to wake up Bofur?" he asked. Kili opened his mouth to speak but Fili kicked him under the table. Thorin had to hide his chuckle behind a cough as Kili fled up the stairs to release Bofur from his prison.

"I need to speak with the crew this morning," Thorin told Fili. His nephew brightened up at that.

"Can I do it?" Fili asked his uncle a bit too eagerly. Thorin didn't hesitate to nod. Fili leapt from his chair and raced into the kitchen, digging through the cupboards for decently loud pots and pans. Thorin shook his head at his nephew's antics. If he wasn't careful Dwalin would kill him.

Fili tiptoed past Thorin into the sleeping quarters. There was a moment of bliss silence in which Thorin steeled himself for chaos. He was just starting to wonder what Fili was doing when suddenly _clang, clang, clang!_

"WAKE UP!" Fili shouted as he banged the pots and pans in his hands together. "IT'S MORNING! THE BIRDS ARE SAYING GOOD MORNING!" Thorin chuckled to himself as his nephew ran back and forth through the short hall.

"Mahal damn you, Fili!" Dwalin's roar echoed through the sleeping quarters and into the dining area. A door slammed open and Fili raced out of the sleeping quarters, a bear of a Dwarf hot on his heels. "I'm goin' to kill you!"

"Not if you can't catch me!" Fili shouted happily, racing around the dining table. Thorin ducked his head to avoid the pan flying past his head. Dwalin growled and made a grab at Fili, missing by a hair.

"Dammit."

"What's goin' on down here?" Bofur asked with a grin as he descended the stairs. Bifur stood behind him, watching the whole event with a confused look. Kili launched himself from the top of the stairs, over the two other Dwarves, and into the dining area. He had the unfortunate chance of landing directly in front of Dwalin and tripping him.

"Dammit," Dwalin growled out again, staying on the floor. "Do you two plan this every night?"

"Not at all," Kili said with a laugh. Dwalin rolled off him and he sprang back to his feet.

"You're too excited for whatever time it is," Dwalin grumbled. He pulled himself up and into a chair.

"What do you two think you are doing causing such a ruckus?" Dori demanded hotly as he stalked into the dining area. "Some of us are trying to sleep." His normally intricate braids had been taken out the night before his shower, his hair hanging down loosely.

"Thorin said I could," Fili said, falling into the chair beside Dwalin. The larger Dwarf pulled him into a tight hug and mussed his hair.

"Little devils," Dwalin said. Fili laughed and struggled against the warrior's firm grip. "Sometimes I just want to lock you in your room until you've learned your lesson."

"Yer suggestin' a very lon' time," Bofur said. Spotting him, Dori turned to Thorin.

"Does this mean Nori can come out of his room now?" he asked. Thorin nodded and the eldest brother retreated back to his room to release his younger brother. Gloin and Oin slipped past him into the dining area. Fili was greeted with a filthy look from Gloin and a perfectly chipper Oin.

"Are your hearing aids off again?" Kili asked Oin as the Dwarf greeted him with a smile.

"What did you say, laddie?" Oin asked loudly.

"Yep, they're off."

"And I don't want to hear about you stealing our things again," Dori lectured an annoyed Nori as he and his brothers entered the dining area, Balin following them slowly. Bombur was the last to wake up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

The thirteen Dwarves settled themselves down at the dining table, some a bit too tired than others to still be awake. The moment he sat down, Nori was fast asleep on Dori's shoulder, snoring loudly.

"Honestly, I think he does this on purpose," Dori told Gloin loudly. "He never wanted to go to bed like this when he was little."

"Shut up," Nori mumbled before returning to snoring. Ori giggled at that, only hushing at Dori's scandalous look.

"I knew it! You're not actually sleeping at all, are you?"

"No, not really. I'm just tired."

"Why are we awake so early, laddie?" Balin asked Thorin. "We all know Fili only acts as an alarm clock when you allow him to." Twelve pairs of eyes fell on Thorin and he straightened up, looking around the room at his crew.

"I wanted to apologize to you all," Thorin said stiffly. He folded his hands before him on the table, clearing his throat. "My actions as of late have been uncalled for."

"Ya can say that again," Bofur muttered under his breath. A grin graced his lips when Balin scowled at him. "Sorry, go on."

Thorin ignored Bofur as he continued. "Some of you are considering leaving the crew when we reach Bree," he said. The Dwarves who didn't know gasped and began to converse between each other until Thorin held up a hand and a silence fell. "I realize now it is my fault you have made these decisions. I ask only this of you: remain on the ship until we reach Rivendell. I would feel more comfortable leaving you in a protected area than on that moon."

"What about Bilbo?" Bofur asked. Thorin sighed and rubbed his face before continuing.

"We are still leaving it on Rivendell with or without Gandalf," he said. "I believe the Half- Bilbo," he said when Balin gave him a pointed look. "I believe Bilbo would be happier in Rivendell than with spending his life running from the Government."

"Can we talk to him, though?" Nori asked, pulling himself up off Dori's shoulder. "He could still have a bit of fun before he has to leave."

Thorin hesitated before speaking his plan. "Aye, you may all talk with him. I believe Oin still has some restrictions on what Bilbo can and cannot do. And there is a rather empty bedroom in the sleeping quarters." Bofur whooped at this and Kili looked at Thorin in shock.

"You're going to give him a room?" Thorin's younger nephew asked.

"I believe it would be more comfortable than sleeping in the medical bay," Thorin suggested. Balin patted his knee under the table and Thorin gave his friend a small smile. "He is, after all, a person just like any of us."

"That's good news," Dori said. He stood and moved to the kitchen to prepare several mugs of coffee. "Hobbits are very social creatures, striving off contact with other beings."

"Can I go tell him the good news?" Bofur asked Thorin like a child. Thorin nodded slowly and the jovial Dwarf was out of his chair and racing to the medical bay. He disappeared through the steel door.

"What made you change your mind?" Gloin asked Thorin.

"My voice of reason," Thorin said simply. Balin chuckled at that, shaking his head. The smile slipped away with Bofur's shout.

"HE'S GONE!" Bofur stumbled out of the medical bay, his face sheet white. "Bilbo's gone."

"What?" Oin demanded. Thorin lurched from his seat and followed the medic into his work space. Just as Bofur had said the bed was empty. Four of the straps laid unbuckled on the bed, the last still looped tightly and locked down.

"He must have slipped out sometime while we were asleep," Nori suggested, having followed Thorin. "There's no other way he could have gotten out."

Oin looked up from inspecting the belts. "The laddie probably has a case of rug burn while he's at it," he said. "He clearly twisted his wrist out of the straps to escape." Thorin's mind whirled at the prospect of the Hobbit loose on the ship. It was Bofur who finally spoke everyone's thought.

"He could be anywhere."

"Fili, Kili, check the cockpit," Thorin ordered his nephews. The brothers nodded quickly before racing up the stairs. "Bofur, Bifur, check the engine room." The cousins followed Fili and Kili before Thorin had finished his sentence. "Gloin, Dori, search the sleeping quarters."

"Aye, laddie," Gloin said before he and Dori hurried to the other side of the ship.

"Dwalin, Balin, and I will search the cargo bay," Thorin said. Nori grabbed his arm before he could leave the medical bay.

"Is there anything I can do?" the thief asked.

"Search every nook and cranny we have aboard this ship," Thorin told him. "Lockers, vents, cupboards. Search them all." He left Nori to begin his search in the medical bay as he headed down to the cargo bay with Balin and Dwalin.

O.o.O

Bilbo held the small device up to the light, examining every inch of it. Bofur was really quite skillful. The translator had been expertly designed to conform to any size and shape of ears. The Hobbit would have never guessed the complexity of the device from the sheer size of it if he hadn't been using it for the past few weeks.

Rolling over on his little platform, Bilbo turned his cupped hand over. He watched as the translators fell through the air and clattered to the floor. His heart lurched at that. He would feel terrible if they had broken. Bofur might be a little bit more than upset, just like how Bilbo's aunt, Donnamira, used to get when the kids were too rambunctious.

Voices carried down the stairs into the cargo bay. They were guttural, speaking a language Bilbo didn't understand. Bilbo rolled over further onto his platform to avoid sight. He watched as Thorin, Balin, and the tattooed Dwarf descended the stairs.

They paused on the gangway, Thorin giving what must have been orders to the other two Dwarves. Balin nodded and walked down one end of the gangway, opening one of the pod doors to inspect it. The tattooed Dwarf wandered down the other end to search the adjacent pods. Thorin stormed down the stairs and disappeared under it.

Bilbo's heart almost stopped when the tattooed Dwarf turned around to look in his direction. He ducked down quickly, clapping a hand over his mouth.

"Bilbo," he heard Balin calling. His name sounded strange in the guttural language of the Dwarves. "Bilbo." Balin's next words were a stream of Khuzdul Bilbo couldn't understand without the translators.

Balin emerged from the last of the two pods and leaned over the railing. He called down to Thorin who wandered back out from under the stairs.

"Dwalin," Balin called across the cargo bay. The tattooed Dwarf reappeared from his last pod and grunted what must have been a negative answer. Balin sighed and muttered under his breath, planting his hands on his hips.

'What do I do?' Bilbo wondered to himself. 'Blast it!' He hadn't thought through his plan past escaping the medical bay.

"Thorin," a new voice called. Bilbo turned his head slightly to see Dori walking down the steps. The Dwarf said something to Thorin that made the captain shout angrily. Balin spoke calming words but Thorin proceeded to kick a crate in a childish fit of anger. Nori wandered up behind his brother and looked around himself, saying something to Dori that made his older brother roll his eyes.

'Blast it all,' Bilbo thought. He wanted to bang his head against the platform but he was sure that would give him away.

Nori's exclamation caused Bilbo to perk up. Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, and Dori turned to look up at him. Bilbo leaned over slightly. Nori was holding something in his hands, examining the white . . . translators. Bilbo's heart pounded against his chest. Five faces turned up to him and he rolled back onto his platform. He heard Thorin barking in Khuzdul before Dori's voice carried up to Bilbo.

"Bilbo," Dori said. "Bilbo, can you hear me?" Bilbo froze that. How did Dori now Hobbitsh? Not many people, save for the Dunedain and Gandalf, were willing to learn the language. Nori muttered something to his brother and Dori continued to call up. "Will you show us where you are?" he called.

Ever so slowly, Bilbo scooted toward the edge of the platform and peeked over it. Nori grinned up at him and waved, saying something before pointing to the translators in his hand. Dori punched his brother in the arm and Nori yelped.

"Bilbo," Dori said, turning back to the Hobbit. "Why are you up there?"

"Because," Bilbo said. When Dori cupped a hand behind his ear, Bilbo spoke a bit louder. "Because you don't want me on your ship." Four faces turned to Dori who translated for them quickly. Dwalin huffed and crossed his arms. Nori's eyes widened and he turned to speak up to Bilbo quickly.

"That's not true," Dori said slowly, obviously translating for his brother. "We love having you here."

"Thorin doesn't," Bilbo said. Thorin groaned when Dori translated that to him. Stepping forward, the captain began to speak earnestly to Bilbo.

"I was wrong to have said that," Dori spoke for his captain. "I am sorry, it will not happen again. Why not come down from there now?"

"No," Bilbo said. "I'm perfectly fine up here."

Dwalin growled something that caused Balin to chastise him when Dori translated. Thorin barked an order and Nori disappeared back up the stairs. He returned moments later with Kili and Fili close behind him. Thorin spoke to them, motioning upward at Bilbo. Whatever he said ended in a questioning tone. Kili leaned his head back look up at Bilbo before he nodded and responded to Thorin's question.

Balin looked around himself and asked the other Dwarves a question. Nori pointed to the wall, the very same place Bilbo had climbed up. Bilbo's stomach knotted. He watched as Kili crossed to the wall and grabbed a hook, testing it. Finally, the young Dwarf pulled himself up. Kili scaled the wall with ease Bilbo had not seen in any of the Dwarves yet. Scrambling to his feet, Bilbo backed further back onto his platform.

Kili pulled himself onto a rafter. Standing slowly, he held his hands out to balance himself out. Thorin called up to him and Kili chuckled nervously. Kili took first one step forward and then another, gaining confidence as he moved. Bilbo allowed him to get halfway across the rafters before he darted in the opposite direction off the platform. He heard Kili's dismayed cry and Thorin shouting furiously.

"Bilbo, please," Dori called up to Bilbo. "We just want to help."

"You can help by leaving me alone," Bilbo shouted back. He moved through the rafters with more surety than young Kili, reaching the other end of the cargo bay quickly. Kili had to turn on the spot in order to head in his direction. Out of the corner of his eye, Bilbo saw Nori and Fili climbing up the hooks in the wall to help their friend and brother.

"Bilbo, you're going to fall," Dori said. His hands were clasped before him as if in prayer. "Please, we don't want you to get hurt."

"Leave me be, then," Bilbo repeated through clenched teeth.

Nori and Fili managed to haul themselves up on different rafters. Nori moved with such a certainty through them that Bilbo was terrified for a moment. The Dwarf was a like a squirrel, scaling the metal beams faster than even him. Fili moved at a more sedated pace, his arms held out like Kili.

"Bilbo, please," Dori said. Balin stepped up beside him and muttered in his ear. "Just come down so we can talk about this." Dwalin was walking directly below Bilbo, keeping his eye on the Hobbit at all times.

"Why won't you listen to me?" Bilbo shouted down to Dori. "I don't even want to be here, so why won't you just leave me alone?" Dori translated to Balin who sighed and nodded before speaking.

"We understand, Bilbo," Dori said, translating for the older Dwarf. "You're scared. We just want to help."

"Would you knock it off with the offers of help," Bilbo snapped. Nori's hand snapped out to grab at his hand and he yelped. Dwalin shouted as Bilbo tilted back, his arms pin-wheeling.

"Bilbo!" Balin called out desperately at the same time Dori cried out to his brother.

The next few seconds were burned into Bilbo's memory forever. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Nori's hand swiped for Bilbo just as the Hobbit's foot slipped off the beam. Shouts filled the air, deafening Bilbo in the great steel room. The sensation of falling filled him just as he reached out helplessly. His fingers hit the bottom ledge of the rafter and he clung on for dear life.

"Bilbo," Nori said in a steady voice, standing directly over him. The Dwarf reached down and attempted to grab at Bilbo's hand hanging onto the rafter. They were an inch shy of each other though. Nori spoke something to him in Khuzdul and wiggled his fingers.

"You need to reach up, Bilbo," Dori shouted. "Nori can't reach you."

Bilbo flung his free hand up at Nori, their hands just barely missing. He spotted Fili hurrying down the rafter their way. The Dwarf's movements caused the rafters to shudder and Bilbo cried out as his fingers slipped against the metal. Nori barked at Fili who froze, then turned back to Bilbo. He reached his hand down again. Bilbo threw his hand up one last time. His fingers had barely brushed Nori's when his other hand lost the grip on the rafter. Nori's eyes widened. Screams filled the cargo bay. And Bilbo was falling down, down, down.

Into the abyss.

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Castor helped me with the chapter title. She got mad at me when I didn't know what 'apprehension' meant. Well now I do! _**Moron.**_ Hey, be nice! I'm working hard here. _**Well get onto the next chapter, I don't want to wait any longer. **_But, but, I wanted to go find my life. _**No, write!**_ Fine, I'll try to update another chapter today. Toodles._

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_

_(Now where did I leave my life?)_


	10. Nightmares and Negativity

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_CAN'T STAY GOTTA RUN!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Nightmares and Negativity<strong>

"_Bilbo, you silly boy, what were you doing up in that tree?" Auntie Mirabella asked as she pulled her young nephew into her lap. Bilbo sniffled pitifully and snuggled against her, seeking his aunt's comfort._

"_I just wanted the apple," he said with another sniffle. His aunt sighed and tousled his hair with a hand._

"_You're too young to be climbing in trees," Auntie Mirabella said. She pulled her nephew into a hug, burrowing her cheek against his hair._

"_But I wanted the apple," Bilbo protested. "And I want to climb trees like Flambard."_

"_But Flambard is three years older than you," Auntie Mirabella pointed out. "And he knows how to climb trees. Now cheer up. We have guests coming today. You want to look nice for them, don't you?" Bilbo nodded slowly. "Alright, why don't you go play in the sitting room and I'll find you some cookies."_

_Slipping off his auntie's lap, Bilbo pattered into the sitting room. There he found his Took cousins playing with blocks and dolls. They invited him to play, putting him in charge of the enemy army invading the Shire system. Bilbo had only been playing for five minutes when the doorbell rang._

"_Bilbo, will you get that for me, please?" Auntie Mirabella's voice rang through her smial._

_Bilbo hopped up from the floor and raced to the front door, pulling it open. He froze at the sight before him. Thirteen Dwarves stared down at him with looks varying from sneering laughs to hateful glares. Bilbo knew each Dwarf by sight, though he had never seen them before in his ten years of life._

"_We found you, Halfling," Thorin sneered. He reached down for Bilbo who screamed and turned to run, but the Dwarf was too fast. He found himself forty years older and being dragged back into the crowd of Dwarves who laugh and jeer._

"_Now, really, Bilbo," Auntie Mirabella said, striding into the hall. "What did you expect when you left the Shire? You'd go on a happy little adventure and return home to find everything would be just where you left it." She planted her hands on her hips. "You've made your bed now sleep in it."_

_Bilbo screamed again as Thorin dragged him back and threw him to the ground. Bofur's cruel laugh rang in his ears and Nori's taunts pierced his skin like knives. Even Balin seemed disappointed in Bilbo._

"_Please," Bilbo begged the Dwarves. "I didn't mean to do it."_

"_It is too late now, Halfling," Thorin said as he kicked Bilbo, causing the Hobbit to cry out. "We never wanted you on our ship."_

"_Yer nothin' but trouble," Bofur added and Bilbo whimpered._

"_Better off left in the crate on that ship," Dwalin said. Bilbo cowered away from the Dwarves as their hands reached for him._

"_And there's only one thing we do to cowards," Nori said as Bilbo was lifted up by the front of his shirt._

"_We put them out of our misery," Dori said. Bifur growled in Khuzdul, making a slicing gesture across his throat._

"_No, please," Bilbo cried, writhing in Thorin's grip. "I promise I can do better. Please! Bofur! Nori!"_

"_Don't look to us," Nori snapped._

"_We never liked ya in the first place," Bofur sneered._

"_There is no point in keeping the unwanted aboard a ship," Thorin said. Reaching out, he grabbed a handle that hadn't been there before and jerked it back. A black hole opened up underneath Bilbo._

"_Please!" Bilbo screamed, struggling against Thorin. He didn't want to die, not today, not ever. "Please, stop!"_

"_Goodbye, Bilbo Baggins," Oin said. Thorin released the screaming Hobbit and Bilbo fell into the black hole. The Dwarves' laughter rang in his ears._

_The walls raced past Bilbo as he plummeted down, down, down. His screams echoed through the air, left unheeded. The air whistled past Bilbo's ears. No matter where he reached the walls shrank back away from his fingers. And then he was aware of something reaching for him. Fingers brushed the very tips of his own and a dismayed shout echoed through the space around him._

"_Bilbo!"_

_Bilbo tumbled through the air. He saw the ground rushing up to meet him. The unforgiving steel ground that would surely kill him. Bilbo shut his eyes tight and opened his mouth in a wordless scream._

Bilbo bolted upright, a scream tearing from his lips. He heard shouts around him and hands pushed him back down. The hands grabbed at his ankles and wrists as he struggled. Harsh words were muttered in his ears. Fingers carded through his hair and wiped the tears from his eyes. His wrist was turned over, revealing the soft skin, and a needle pricked his skin. Bilbo's struggles slowed as his muscles relaxed against his will and the hands retreated. His head rolled to the side and he was back to sleep in seconds.

O.o.O

Thorin watched Balin return from the sleeping quarters, the older Dwarf shaking his head. Bilbo's scream had echoed down from the room they had placed him. Oin, Balin, Bofur, and Nori had been the first to respond, converging on the room before Bilbo's scream had even ended.

"Just a nightmare," Balin told Thorin as he sat back down at the dining table. "The poor laddie has had a rather rough past few weeks." He didn't miss Thorin's clenched jaw as his captain turned away. "It was not his fault, Thorin."

"He climbed into the rafters," Thorin growled. "He could have gotten himself killed up there."

"From what I saw Bilbo has excellent balance," Balin said. Grabbing the string of the tea bag, he swirled the drink around. "I believe Nori's sudden movement surprised him and he fell back off the rafters."

"What made the fool climb up there in the first place?" Thorin demanded. "That is no place to be playing around in."

"Thorin," Balin addressed, giving Thorin a meaningful look. "These steel doors are not exactly sound-proof. He must have heard what we were saying last night and felt hurt."

"That was no excuse for him to climb into the rafters," Thorin said.

"It was his only excuse," Bain corrected. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Did you not hear what he told Dori? Bilbo thinks we do not want him on the ship anymore." At a look from Thorin he blanched. "Thorin, you cannot be serious? Just this morning you were willing to give him a second chance."

"That was before he made a foolish move," Thorin said. Crossing his arms, he shook his head. "What if Nori had not been quicker, Balin? What if the Halfling had fallen to his death?"

"That is no reason to condemn him," Balin said desperately. "Bilbo is a single Hobbit surrounded by Dwarves he believes hate him." Thorin turned away from his old friend and made his way toward the stairs. "Thorin, please, let him have one more chance."

"He had his chances," Thorin growled. "He is to stay in his room from now on."

"Thorin," Balin called, but Thorin ignored him as he made his way to the cockpit.

Fili turned in his seat at his uncle's arrival. Kili's head popped up from the lower deck, his face fell, and he ducked back down. Thorin walked up behind Fili, leaning forward to examine a screen. The blinking dots on the green screen meant next to nothing to him.

"We've just entered Bree's atmosphere," Fili told his uncle. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. "We're supposed to dock in the forest for the night. We can head to the village tomorrow morning."

"Alright," Thorin said. "Get us down there safely then head to bed. I do not want any more trouble tonight."

"How is Bilbo?" Kili asked from the lower level. He withered under Thorin's cold gaze. "I-I just wanted to know . . ."

"He is healing," Thorin said. "Oin has diagnosed a dislocated wrist and a concussion."

"Will he be alright?"

"He will be fine," Thorin said. Turning, he left the cockpit before either of his nephews could ask him any more questions. The Halfling was causing far too much trouble for Thorin's liking. He'd be lucky if the Dwarf didn't space him before they reached Rivendell. Thorin descended the stairs to find Balin gone from the dining table, having already retired to his bedroom.

Thorin sighed as he headed down the hall to prepare for sleep. Balin was right in some respects, he had to admit, Bilbo had never asked for this to happen to him. He was just a victim in an unwanted situation.

O.o.O

The next time Bilbo awoke it was with a clear head and no nightmares. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and pushed himself upright, wincing at the ache in his body. His left wrist was filled with a dull throbbing ache. A glance down showed him it had been wrapped with clean white bandages littered with Khuzdul runes. The familiar tingling sensation told Bilbo it had been repaired by Oin with medical mites.

A vague memory of Nori grabbing his hand flashed through Bilbo's mind and he shook his head. The motion made his head spin and he stopped. All he could remember was Nori grabbing his hand, a pain searing through his wrist, and something struck him on the head. After that it was all black. Except for the part where Thorin roared at him, demanding to know what he was thinking, that would be burned into his brain forever.

Laying back down in the bed, it took Bilbo several seconds to notice he was not in the medical bay as he had assumed. Someone had laid him out on a plastic mattress that creaked with every move he made. Crisp sheets had been pulled over him and his head was propped on a cushioning pillow. The walls of the room were a bare beige color, reminding Bilbo of his Uncle Isembard's smial. Then something else struck him. The ship wasn't rumbling as it usually did. The familiar vibrations were gone, the walls still and a numb empty feeling ran through Bilbo. He had grown so used to the vibrations that now he was sad they were gone.

They must have landed. Bilbo bolted upright in his bed, ignoring the protesting ache of his body. They had landed on Bree. He could leave the ship now and none of the Dwarves would be none the wiser. In fact, they would probably be happy he had decided to get off on Bree. They would have to deal with the trouble he was causing them.

Slipping eagerly from the bed, Bilbo hurried through to the door and cracked it open just a bit. No voices carried down the hall from the dining area. Only the sounds of snores seeped from the rooms around him. The Dwarves were all asleep in their bedrooms. This couldn't have been more perfect for Bilbo.

The Hobbit tiptoed from his bedroom, down the hall, and into the dining area. With no signs of a Dwarf to be seen, he hurried down the stairs into the cargo bay and to the door. Within the large cargo bay doors had been built a small one for the simple use of entering and leaving the ship without having to lower the ramp. The door was easy enough to open, albeit it was slightly heavier than Bilbo was used to. Stepping out of the ship, Bilbo inhaled the fresh air happily. He was finally free.

O.o.O

A single obnoxious tone from the sensors caused Kili to look up from the puzzle book he was writing in. Leaning forward, he frowned at the flickering screen. The cargo bay's door had been opened. But that couldn't be right. No one was awake at this hour except for Kili, and that was only because he wasn't tired like the rest of them.

"Who would be crazy enough to go for a stroll at this?" Kili wondered aloud to himself. It was the middle of the night, everyone should have been in bed.

Pondering the thought, Kili hurried from the cockpit and down two flights of stairs through dining room. The cargo bay was void of anything save for the few crates of supplies littered around. The smaller door, though, had been left wide open. Kili nearly flew down the stairs in his rush to examine the scene. He was just in time to see a familiar curly head disappear into the forest.

"Bilbo!" Kili shouted, leaping out of the ship and racing toward the forest. The figure paused just inside the tree line, turned to see Kili, and then fled further into the woods. "Bilbo, wait!" Kili tore after the Hobbit as fast as his feet could carry him. Bilbo had broken out into a run, speeding away from Kili like a rocket. Kili pumped his legs and leaned forward in an attempt to gain speed. Hobbits may have been quick on their feet but Dwarves had the weight to speed themselves along.

The moment he was within range Kili launched himself at Bilbo. The Dwarf and Hobbit were sent sprawling to the forest floor. Bilbo scrambled to regain his footing but Kili wrapped his arms around the Hobbit's legs, tripping him again. They lay panting on the ground for several seconds before Kili finally spoke.

"What . . ." he said, winded by the shot sprint. "Were you _thinking_? It's dangerous to be out here alone."

"I was thinking I could get to the village," Bilbo told him through his gasps.

"Why would you do that? We're going to the village tomorrow."

"Because Thorin wouldn't have let me go," Bilbo said. He shoved against Kili who surrendered his hold on the Hobbit's legs. Together they stood, Kili keeping a wary eye on the Hobbit.

"But why did you want to go to the village tonight?" Kili asked again. Bilbo hesitated to answer for a moment and the words he spoke twisted Kili's stomach into a knot.

"Because you don't want me on your ship. I thought if I could find my way to the village then I could find my way back to Hobbiton." Kili stared at Bilbo for a full minute before he scowled.

"How stupid are you?" he asked Bilbo who looked surprised at the statement. "The village is in the other direction. Besides, it's miles away from here. You would have had to hike through the forest for the entire night to reach it." Bilbo's look of surprise turned to one of embarrassment as he flushed. "Besides, we're taking you to Rivendell."

"And how far away is that?" Bilbo asked. "How much angrier is Thorin going to get at me on our way there?"

"Thorin's just being an idiot," Kili protested. "Come back to the ship and we can talk about it." The sound of a tree crashing to the forest floor caused him to look up and he froze.

"I'm sorry, Kili, but I can't spend another day on that ship," Bilbo said. Noticing Kili's horrified expression he frowned. "Kili, what is it?" Kili raised a shaking finger to point behind Bilbo who turned, his eyes widening in horror.

A monstrous troll towered over the Dwarf and the Hobbit, looking down at them with dull eyes. Bilbo swallowed hard and backed away slowly. The troll's eyes followed his movement before the thing spoke.

"'Ere, now,' it said, causing Kili and Bilbo to jump in surprise. "What's a Dwarf and a . . ." He looked Bilbo up and down. "An oversized squirrel doin' out here?"

"N-Nothing," Bilbo whimpered. "W-We were j-just leaving." Kili nodded frantically, backing away from the troll with every move he made. The troll advanced on the two, bending down to get a closer look.

"Are there anymore of you hidin' where you shouldn't be?" it asked. Its gravelly voice reminded Kili of a rockslide he had once seen on the Blue Mountains.

"No, none," Bilbo squeaked.

"Liar," the troll roared. It swung a great paw of a hand down at the Dwarf and Hobbit and they ducked. "Come 'ere, you!"

"Run!" Kili shouted, tearing off toward the ship. He heard Bilbo's pattering feet on the forest floor and the crashing of the troll following them. There was the sound of something swinging through the air and Bilbo's scream rang through the air.

"Bilbo!" Kili shouted helplessly. He spun around to see the small creature clutched upside down in the troll's fist. Bilbo's eyes fell on him, pleading for his help, but Kili could do nothing. His weapons were back on the ship along with anyone who could help him. Help, that's what he needed.

Giving Bilbo what he hoped was a reassuring look, Kili tore back to the ship as quickly as he could. He had to wake the others up before it was too late.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_GOTTA RUN, LATE FOR WORK!_


	11. Ruses and Roasts

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_DALA, YOU CAN'T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT! _**She already did. **_Yeah, I know, but she didn't need to insult an entire fandom. _**I think it's funny. **_Shut up. You're not the one trying to write a story and get some reviews. _**Then start insulting them like Dala did. **_NO!_

_Enjoy! Please review! _**Now insult them. **_Shut up!_

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><p><strong>Ruses and Roasts<strong>

Kili had abandoned him. In the face of danger, and death for that matter, the Dwarf had abandoned Bilbo to the mercy of a troll. Not that the troll had any mercy, from Bilbo's first impression of the creature. But really, Bilbo could not understand how he kept getting into these kinds of situation. Blast that wizard and his 'good morning'. Bilbo should have just stayed in his cozy little smial and forgotten all about Gandalf's wizard. It was a little late to be complaining about wizards, though, when Bilbo was face to face with a monstrous troll.

The troll had Bilbo's legs in a tight grip as he hung the Hobbit upside down to inspect him. The blood had long ago left Bilbo's feet, heading straight for his head. Bilbo truly hoped the troll would either kill him or put him upright soon. Either one was fine with him, just so long as he didn't feel the blood rushing to his head anymore.

"What are ya?" the troll asked Bilbo, shaking him. Bilbo winced as his teeth were jarred in his skull.

"I-I'm a Hobbit," he said in a shaky voice. The troll snorted and brought him closer to stare into his face.

"What's a . . . Hobbit?" he asked. Bilbo coughed as the troll snorted again. Its breath was horrendous, smelling of rotting things and bad food. "Can we eat it?"

"Yes," Bilbo said quickly before he changed his mind. "No! No, you may not!"

"Not much meat on ya," the troll said, poking Bilbo in the chest. Bilbo winced at that. The troll must have had no sense of its strength. "Are there any more of ya hidin' around here?"

"Nope, none," Bilbo said. "Besides, you can't eat us Hobbits. You would die." The troll snorted at that, a look of shock on his face.

"Why not?"

"Because, uh, our Mother will get mad at you," Bilbo said. When the troll frowned he nodded seriously. "Oh yes, our Mother loves us very dearly. If anyone ever attacks us all we have to say is 'Mother, help us' and she will send her guards to rescue us."

"Guards?" the troll repeated, a hopeful tone in his voice. "We could eat them." Bilbo's heart sank at that.

"Oh no, you don't want to do that," he said quickly. "You really wouldn't want to chance it. They'd give you terrible indigestion. I wouldn't risk it."

"Why not?" the troll asked in a suspicious voice. Bilbo had to rack his brain for an answer. He could sense the troll was starting to not believe him.

"Because they're made of stone," Bilbo told the troll. The dizziness in his head was growing from hanging upside down too long. "Not to mention it wouldn't kill them and they would only kill you from the inside out." The troll snorted at him again then turned, moving with crashing footsteps through the forest.

"Wait, where are you taking me?" Bilbo asked, his panic rising. "Weren't you listening to me?"

"Ya'll bring us food," the troll said. "Or we'll eat ya."

"Oh blast it."

O.o.O

Kili was not going to abandon Bilbo if his life depended on it. He would take on the troll single-handedly if he had to, even if it was with only his bow and arrows. There was no way in the universe he was leaving Bilbo to die and be eaten by a troll.

The forest's docking station had been built in a clearing in the forest. Very few ships went there during their day, using it only at night as a place to rest until morning. The actual village of Bree was notorious for closing its gates at dusk and only opening them at dawn. The docking station itself was essentially nothing more than a paved square of space decorated with a white and red bulls-eye.

Kili flew out of the tree line and into the clearing of the docking station. The ship was just where he had left it with its door wide open. When Kili had first seen the ship he had told Thorin it looked like a beetle with a tumor on its head instead of antennae. Thorin had been less than pleased with the statement and Kili had been stuck scrubbing floors for a month. _The Arkenstone_ was clearly not to be insulted.

Leaping through the door, Kili landed gracelessly on the floor and took off up the cargo bay stairs to the second floor. There was a moment in the dining room when he tripped over a chair someone had left pulled out. Kili cursed loudly, not caring if anyone heard him now. He needed everyone awake and now. Pounding down the hall, he skidded to a stop outside Thorin's bedroom door and thumped his fist against it repeatedly.

"Thorin! Thorin! Thorin! Thorin! Thorin!" Kili shouted over and over again until the door was wrenched open. His uncle stood before him, a livid expression on his face. "Trolls!" Kili said before he jumped to the door next to him. "Dwalin! Balin! Dwalin! Balin!" he shouted, pounding on the door. Strong hands grabbed his arms and jerked him back from the door.

"What in Durin's name are you talking about?" Thorin growled at his nephew. Kili twisted in his uncle's grip until he was released. Whirling to face Thorin, Kili did the one thing his family hated most. He talked fast and expected everyone to understand him.

"Bilbo ran out into the forest when he woke up so I chased him to try and stop him but then we were attacked by a troll and it grabbed Bilbo but I didn't have anything to fight it with so I came back here as quickly as I could."

"Kili, slow down," Thorin ordered, clapping a hand on Kili's shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Kili explained slower.

"I chased Bilbo into the forest," he said. The door behind him opened and a bleary-eyed Balin stepped out. "And a troll attacked us. We tried to run away but it grabbed Bilbo."

"So you ran back here to get help," Thorin finished. Kili nodded eagerly. He watched Thorin's expression, waiting for the verdict.

"Thorin." Thorin's gaze shifted over Kili's expression to Balin. Kili could never thank his uncle for what happened next.

"WAKE UP!" Thorin roared. "ATTACK! GRAB YOUR WEAPONS!" _Thumps_ echoed through the sleeping quarters as Dwarves leapt out of bed and threw on their boots, grabbing their weapons. Thorin squeezed Kili's shoulder. "Go get your brother, Bofur, and Bifur."

Nodding, Kili fled from the sleeping quarters to the dining room and up to the third floor. He didn't hesitate to grab Bifur's door, the closest to the engine room, and kick it open.

"Wake up," he shouted down the hatch. "Bilbo's in trouble!" A furious should in Khuzdul carried up through the doorway and Kili leapt to Bofur's door, doing the same thing there. Fili had already woken up and was climbing out of his room with his twin swords strapped to his back when Kili raced to his own room.

"What's going on, Kili?" Fili asked.

Kili ignored him as he kicked his door open and launched himself through the hatch. Thorin was always telling him he was going to break an ankle one day. But right now, Kili couldn't have cared less. He grabbed his bow, a quiver of arrows, and his sword. Clambering back up the ladder, he found Bofur, Bifur, and Fili waiting for him.

"What happened ta Bilbo?" Bofur asked Kili who was already flying back down the stairs. Footsteps followed him down and he led the way to the cargo bay.

Thorin had gathered the other Dwarves near the door, trying to answer their demands. Only Balin and Dwalin were silent beside him. Seven faces turned to Kili as he threw himself down the stairs. Kili only came to a halt once he had reached the crew.

"Why are we still standing here?" he asked Thorin. "We need to save Bilbo."

"Bilbo?" Nori repeated. "What happened to him?"

"Isn't he in his room?" Dori asked.

"No," Balin said seriously. "I checked it before coming down here. His room is empty, just as young Kili said."

"Then what happened?" Ori asked. Kili groaned and fisted his hair.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," he said. "We don't have time to stand around and talk. We have to save Bilbo before the troll eats him."

"What troll?" Dwalin asked suspiciously. "We're not goin' anywhere until you tell us what's goin' on."

"Fine, but this is the fast version," Kili said. Fili frowned and crossed his arms, watching his younger brother intently. Fast versions were usually useless to anyone. "Bilbo ran away. I ran after him. We got attacked by a troll. It grabbed Bilbo. I came back here to get help. End of story." He looked around at the surrounding Dwarves. "Well?"

Thorin stepped aside from blocking the door. "Lead the way," he said.

Kili darted out the door, twelve other Dwarves close behind him. They raced into the tree line and through the forest. The trees blurred together as Kili ran, praying Bilbo would still be alive when they reached him. It wasn't until they reached the last place Kili had seen the troll and Bilbo that he stopped. The other Dwarves slowed down, looking around themselves.

"Well, where is it?" Dori asked. "I don't see any trolls."

"Kili, if this was one of your stories," Thorin began, but Kili cut him off.

"I'm not making this up, Thorin," he said hurriedly. "There was a troll here and it grabbed Bilbo. What else could have torn up the trees like that?" He pointed at the uprooted trees behind him.

"He does have a point," Balin said. "Perhaps we should split up and try to find the trolls." A loud sneeze echoed through the forest, causing the younger Dwarves to jump in surprise.

"Or not," Dwalin growled out. Reaching back, he pulled Grasper and Keeper from their harness. "Let's take them on."

"Wait," Thorin said, holding up a hand. "If we take them on now they might kill Bilbo. We need to approach quietly and see what is happening."

"Fine," Dwain said. "But I'm takin' out a troll the first chance I get."

"Fair enough," Thorin said. "Now let's move."

Kili was close behind his uncle as they made their way quietly through the forest. A flickering light in the distance caught his eye. Slowly, with every step they took, it grew closer and closer until he heard voices. They were harsh voices, speaking like rocks clashing against each other. Both confusion and anger were clear in the voices.

"What do you mean we can't eat it, Bert?" one troll asked in a nasally voice.

Crouching behind a fallen log, Thorin motioned for the rest of the crew to do the same. Kili knelt down but kept his eyes glued on the clearing. Three trolls stood around a fire, logs and boulders behind them acting as chairs. A large cauldron sat over the blazing fire, bubbling quietly. It was Bilbo, though, that Kili's eyes focused on. The Hobbit was clutched in a troll's great hand as it showed him to the others.

"Because, Bill," the first roll – Bert – said. "It said so."

"And why is you listenin' to somethin' we can eat?" the third troll asked.

"Yeah, Tom's right," Bill, or William as he was better known, said. "Why are you listenin' to the food instead of eatin' it?"

"It said it can brin' more food," Bert said. "Just by sayin' a few words."

"I didn't say I would bring you more food," Bilbo's voice rang across the clearing. Thorin looked to Kili who swallowed hard. "I said if you hurt me my Mother would said guards to rescue me." The words echoed through Kili's mind and a plan began to form.

"And who's yer . . . Mother?" Bert asked with a sniff. He poked Bilbo in the chest again and Bilbo winced. "If yer lyin' I'll 'old ya over the fire."

"I'm not lying," Bilbo insisted desperately.

Kili leaned over to whisper his plan to Fili. His older brother gave him a look as if to ask 'are you mad?' Kili nodded to Gloin who crouched beside his brother. Leaning over, Fili whispered the plan to him. Kili shifted on the ground as he quietly drew his sword. Behind him the plan was making its way through the crew.

"Then who's yer Mother?"

"Sh-She is everywhere," Bilbo said. "She is great and beautiful. Her radiance makes the crops grow and the birds sing. Without her, there would be no day or night."

"He's talkin' in riddles, he is," Tom said.

"Ah, I never liked riddles," William pouted out. "Never have."

"Shut up, ya two," Bert snapped at the other trolls. Turning back to Bilbo, he growled. "Say it."

"Say what?" Bilbo asked.

"You know what I mean," Bert said. Bilbo squealed in surprise as he suddenly found himself hung upside down once more. "Say it!"

Thorin was the last to hear of the plan. Kili felt him stiffen and prepare to object, but it was too late. Kili had already made up his mind.

"M-Mother," Bilbo stuttered out from his position in the air. "Help me."

O.o.O

Bilbo wasn't sure which was worse: the prospect of dying from the blood rushing to his head or these three trolls' names. Bert, William, and Tom. Never before had he heard such terrible names in his life. Unless he counted his mother and her sisters: Belladonna, Donnamira, and Mirabella. What _had_ his grandfather been thinking? Whatever it was Gerontius Took was thinking Bilbo would never know. At that moment he was too busy uttering those ridiculous words. He couldn't believe how stupid he would feel if no one came to rescue him, stupid and dead.

"M-Mother, help me."

Bilbo half expected nothing to happen. He expected the clearing to remain quiet and for the trolls to snort again and hold him in the fire. He expected to die a painful and hot death, remaining forgotten to his cousins and family on Hobbiton.

He was not, however, expecting Kili to dash out of the trees and slice his sword through William's foot. The smallest troll howled in pain, hopping up and down as he clutched his foot. Kili gave him one final stab before turning to Bert and Tom.

"Drop him," he said in a very clear voice. Bilbo's heart thudded against his chest at the sight of Kili gripping his sword tightly.

"You what?" Bert demanded.

"I said," Kili said, swinging his sword in a complete circle at his side. "Drop him." Bert roared and threw Bilbo at Kili who caught him in surprise, sending both Dwarf and Hobbit to the ground. Bilbo was aware of the Dwarf hugging him close as several pairs of boots thundered past him.

"Sorry," Kili said just before he tossed Bilbo to the side and scrambled to his feet. Bilbo yelped and glared at the Dwarf's retreating back. He didn't know what exactly Kili was apologizing for. The fact that he had just thrown Bilbo aside or that he had abandoned Bilbo in his greatest time of need. Bilbo made a mental note to ask him later.

The Dwarves, it turned out, where much better at fighting together than they were at living on a ship. Not once did they ever trip over another in their fight or bump into each other. If one Dwarf found himself in a bit of a fix then another was immediately there to rescue him. At one point Nori's head had been seized in the hand of William. Ori shot the troll in the eye with his slingshot before turning and running away from the roaring troll only to be seized by another. Dwalin threw himself off the cauldron to roll onto all fours, allowing Thorin to leap off his back and slice at the troll's arm. Ori was dropped with another howl from the troll.

Bilbo could only smile in disbelief at the sight before him. The Dwarves truly were an amazing people. His smile vanished when Bert's eyes fell on him. Scrambling to his feet, Bilbo tried to run away, but he was too slow. The trolls hand closed around him and he was dragged back off the ground. Another set of hands joined the first and Bilbo found himself hanging in the air once more, this time with his arms and legs gripped in unrelenting hands.

"Bilbo!" Kili shouted.

"No!" Thorin grabbed his nephew before he could do anything stupid.

"Lay down your arms," Bert ordered the Dwarves as he and Tom clutched Bilbo. "Or we'll rip 'is off."

Bilbo stared down at Thorin, his chest heaving in terror. Would Thorin abandon him? Allow the trolls to rip him to pieces right there in order for his crew to live? Was Bilbo about to die a more painful death than fire? Thorin glared at him for a second before he did something Bilbo would never forget. The captain of _the Arkenstone_ threw his sword point first into the ground where it stuck there straight up. The other Dwarves threw down their weapons and Bilbo's heart sank. They were all doomed.

The trolls were quick to nab the Dwarves and tie them in sacks. Bilbo was thrown down next to Thorin where he started wondering if death by quarter and shafting wouldn't have been a better option. Thorin's glare was beyond furious. It had reached the red zone, if there was such a thing.

The cauldron was done away with and a spit was constructed in its place. Several of the Dwarves were secured tightly to it with ropes despite their protests. Tom and Bert took up the job of turning the spit while William circled it chuckling.

"Well done, Halfling," Thorin whispered loud enough for only Bilbo to hear. "Now we are all going to die." Bilbo's heart sunk and he started to wonder how he could get them out of this situation.

"Don't bother cookin' them," William was saying. "Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

"They should be sautéed," Bert argued. "And sprinkled with just a bit of sage."

"Is this really necessary?" Dori shouted, struggling against his bonds. They held even him, the strongest Dwarf of the crew, captive.

"Hurry up," Tom shouted to Bert. "I don't want to be here when the sun rises. I don't fancy being turned to stone."

The words pricked at Bilbo's ears and he perked up. The sky was already beginning to pale behind the hill. Maybe if he kept the trolls distracted long enough the sun would rise and they would all be saved. Struggling to his feet in the sack, Bilbo hopped forward slightly, ignoring Balin's question aimed at him.

"You are making a terrible mistake," Bilbo told the trolls. Bert turned his gaze down at him and Tom snorted. "Squashing them into jelly won't make them taste any better and sage wouldn't do a thing."

"What do ya know about cookin' Dwarf?" Tom asked, but Bert hushed him.

"Let the Hobbit thingy talk," the other troll said. Bilbo swallowed hard as the three trolls turned their attention back on him. This moment was more terrifying than even the Fell Winter had been.

"You can't reason with them," Dori shouted at Bilbo. "They're halfwits."

"Halfwits?" Bofur repeated as he was spun around. "What does that make us?"

"W-Well," Bilbo began, thinking hard.

"Yes?" Bert prodded, abandoning his post at the spit to bend down near Bilbo. "What is it?"

"Y-You have to . . . Bilbo looked over his shoulder at Thorin whose expression had grown furious. "Skin them first!" The Dwarves erupted into furious protests at that. Dwalin even went so far as to threaten Bilbo's safety when all was said and done. Bilbo swallowed hard, certain the tall Dwarf would stay true to his word.

"That's rubbish," Tom said. "I've eaten plenty of Dwarves with their skins on."

"Ah, you see, those weren't these kinds of Dwarves, though," Bilbo said, thinking quickly. "These Dwarves aren't made from stone like they usually are. They're from diamond, which means you'd have to skin them before you even had the chance to eat them."

Tom made a face at that. "Liar," he growled. "He's tryin' to distract us."

"From what?" William asked. "There's no one in this forest but us."

"No one to 'ear ya scream," Bert added, prodding Bilbo in the chest once more. Bilbo winced at that. Bert had just reached out to grab at Bilbo when a deep voice rang through the trees.

"The dawn shall take you all!"

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Alright, so the chapter wasn't really all that original. So sue me. I felt bad about the short chapter I posted this morning before work so I wrote this one for you. I must have re-written that chapter at least five times before I was finally partially happy with it. Well, let me know what you thought. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_

_(It's freezing in this room!)_


	12. Wizards and Wonderings

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit! I almost said 'we', whoops!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

**I noticed you didn't insult them. **_And I noticed you didn't shut up. So shut up. Anyway, I recently found out today that Dwarves mature at fort and not seventy-two. I suppose that's just some random fact someone made up (the seventy-two) instead of doing their homework. I spoke with my Voice of Reason _**(not me, by the way)**_ and she told me to continue using seventy-two as the age of maturation. So that's what I'm doing. Also, I know Frerin was actually forty-eight when he died but I'm changing it to help my story a bit. Finally! We hit a major stepping stone in the story! Onwards and forwards!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Wizards and Wonderings<strong>

Never before had Kili seen a human look so shocked. Well, except for that time on the Blue Mountains when he and Fili decided to set up a prank for their uncle in the marketplace. That hadn't ended very well. In fact, none of their pranks ever did. Fili and Kili usually ended up being punished for a week doing chores around the house or ship. Kili supposed it was partially their fault their mother had started to gray early on in life, not to mention their uncle's permanent scowl on his face.

"My mother says it's rude to stare," Kili told Agent Smith. The Man's mouth snapped shut and he swallowed hard.

"You allowed the Hobbit to be attacked by trolls?" the Man asked in a strained voice. He had long since dropped his proper stance with the Dwarf.

"I didn't exactly plan that," Kili said. "There's no telling when you could be attacked by trolls. So no, not really. I didn't _allow_ him to be attacked by a troll. It just sort of happened."

"Yet you allowed the Hobbit's life to be put in danger," Agent Smith said. Kili scowled at him, wishing he could cross his arms.

"Weren't you listening to me?" he demanded. "I went and got help."

"And in the meantime Bilbo could have been killed," Agent Smith pointed out. Kili groaned and let his head hit the wall behind him. How thick could this Man be?

"Get used to it," he finally said. "Because that wasn't the first time it happened. It wasn't even the first time Bilbo saved the crew, either."

"Then the one who saved you in the end wasn't Gandalf?" Agent Smith asked.

"Oh no, it was," Kili said. Pulling his legs up onto the bed, he settled back. "But that is a story for someone else to tell."

"Why?"

"I don't like your attitude." The Man scowled at him for that and Kili chuckled to himself. He watched as Agent Smith stood, grabbed his stool, and left the cell. A guard entered a second later to release Kili from his handcuffs. The Dwarf laid back on his bed, resisting his head on his arms.

"Hang in there, Bilbo," he whispered.

O.o.O

They called him _hakhakhith_. Its literal meaning was 'young dog', though they meant to say 'puppy'. He was gentle and playful, getting along with every person he met. The children loved to greet him every day. Their hopes of a new toy, even a sweet, were never dashed by the laughing miner. And then the Orc had come, driving the head of an axe into his skull. The healers had said they couldn't remove the weapon without either further damaging or killing him. Sad looks in their eyes, his cousins had left the ax-head in and had tried to move on as if nothing had happened.

They called him _kah'i_. It meant wolf. They said he was wild, uncontrollable, and unpredictable. No longer did the children flock to him for toys. No longer did he hike down into those mines he had always hated with his cousin. No longer did Bofur and Bombur laugh with him. They only gave him sad looks, shook their heads, and moved on with life.

The ache of the ax-head in his skull had long since faded away. He wouldn't have noticed it anymore if it weren't for the petrified looks he received from strangers. They would look to Bofur for help, whisper behind their hands when they thought he wasn't listening. He hated how they treated him. Everyone treated him differently until the Hobbit had come along. Bilbo had changed everything on that ship.

Bifur watched from his seat at the table as the agent entered the room. He had heard from the other Dwarves they were telling the Man the entire story of how they had found Bilbo and reclaimed Erebor. From what Bifur understood Kili had been the last Dwarf the Man had spoken to before the end of the day. A new day brought the agent dressed in a cleaned and pressed suit. The agent nodded to him in greeting then gestured someone in. Bofur waltzed in behind the agent, his hands cuffed behind him.

"Hiya, Bif," Bofur said jovially, ignoring a jab from the guard behind him. Bifur straightened up in his seat. His hands jerked against the handcuffs locked to the table.

'_Cousin, what are you doing here?'_ Bifur signed in Iglishmek to his cousin.

"They decided ya needed a translator," Bofur said as he was pushed into a chair across from his cousin. The agent seated himself beside the grinning Dwarf, setting a pile of papers on the table.

'_Nori?'_ Bifur signed, but Bofur shook his head just a bit and he stopped. The agent looked between the cousins suspiciously before clearing his throat.

"Oh, right, Bif," Bofur said, nodding to the Man beside him. "This is Agent Smith. He's been talkin' ta all of us about Bilbo."

'_Is Bilbo alright?'_ Bifur asked. His face fell when Bofur shrugged.

"Gentlemen," Agent Smith said. The cousins turned to him and he flushed slightly. "I-I suggest we start now. Bifur, if you would be so kind as to speak to your cousin he will he translate for you.

"_Fair enough,_" Bifur growled in Khuzdul. Agent Smith turned to Bofur who shrugged.

"He said ta go ahead," Bofur said. Bifur scowled. His cousin had a habit of translating what he said into his own words. Curse Bofur to the Halls of Waiting if he screwed this up!

"Alright," Agent Smith, shuffling the papers on the table. "Bifur, I believe you worked in the mines with your cousin in the Blue Mountains?" Bifur nodded at that. "And he tells me you were injured by an Orc." Bofur stiffened beside the agent and his eyes flicked between the Man and his cousin.

"_We were ambushed by Orcs in the forest,_" Bifur said in Khuzdul. "_I was hunting with some friends._ _I was the only one who survived._"

"Uh, he says yes," Bofur said. Bifur kicked him under the table and his cousin yelped in surprise. "Alright! Alright! He was huntin' in the woods when he was ambushed by Orcs. They killed all his friends."

"_Someday I will return this ax to the Orc who gave it to me,_" Bifur said, motioning to the ax head embedded in his skull. Bofur blinked at him before speaking.

"Yeah, I'm not translatin' that."

"_Translate it!_" Bifur demanded.

"No!" Bofur protested.

"_Tell him!_"

"He doesn't need ta know that!"

"_You are a terrible translator. I hope they fire you._"

"They're not even payin' me!"

"Please, gentlemen," Agent Smith, trying to gain control of the situation. The bickering Dwarves quieted down with Bifur glaring at his cousin. "Please translate for me what your cousin says."

"Alright, fine, but don't blame me," Bofur warned the Man. "He said some day he's goin' ta return the ax ta the Orc who gave it ta him."

Agent Smith blinked once. "You're right," he said. "I didn't need to know that."

"_Then you are terrible at interrogating,_" Bifur snarled at the Man. "_You should be demanding to know everything I could possibly know about the Hobbit. Where are the torture devices? The thumb screws? A rack, at least._" Bofur stared at him.

"I am _not_ translatin' that!"

"_In fact, this whole ship of yours is terrible. Your engine makes a strange clicking sound on every fourth rotation it makes. By the sound of it you have placed a piece in there that does not belong. If that is the case then you undoubtedly have a useless engineer on your hands and you need to space him immediately, or at least fire him._"

"What did he say?" Agent Smith asked Bofur who was slowly turning red in the face from trying to contain his laughter.

"He's . . ." Bofur snickered, unable to talk until Bifur kicked him again. "He's insultin' yer engine." Agent Smith groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Really, if ya want ta hear anythin' interstin' ya should just ask him about Bilbo."

"That may be a good idea," Agent Smith conceded. "I spoke with Kili last. He left off with the attack of the trolls."

"_That was the day I discovered Bofur did not have the balls it takes to attack a troll,_" Bifur growled in Khuzdul and Bofur flushed red with anger.

"I do too have the balls ta fight a troll," Bofur argued, standing from his chair. Bifur tried to stand too but was pulled back down by the handcuffs. "We were outnumbered!"

"_There were three of them and thirteen of us!_"

"I'm pretty sure three trolls count as more than just three. They've got ta be at least four a piece!"

"Gentlemen!"

"_Twelve, then, twelve against thirteen and we still lost._"

"That's not the point! They had Bilbo. They would have killed him."

"_You should have hammered them in with that mattock of yours, not stood around crying about your hangnail like a little lass._"

"Hey, hangnails hurt! AND I WASN'T CRYIN'! I WAS FIGHTIN' JUST LIKE YA!"

"GENTLEMEN!" Bifur and Bofur both turned to the red-faced Man. Agent Smith took a deep breath and gave them a strained smile. "Bofur, please sit down. Bifur, please continue the story without angering your cousin." Grumbling, Bofur returned to his seat. Bifur glared at him.

"_I still would have beaten you with my hands cuffed to the table._"

"Shut up."

"Bifur, Bofur."

"_Fine,_" Bifur growled. Straightening in his seat, he continued the tale from where Kili had left off. "_Bilbo had been brave up until that point of our journey. He never cried when Oin healed him. He laughed in the face of danger . . ._"

"That's not how it goes!"

O.o.O

"Who's that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat him too?"

A boulder atop the hill cracked in two and sunlight streamed through. There was a moment of silence in the clearing before it danced over the trolls' skin. Their howls of fury and pain echoed through the trees. The trolls writhed in their stances, stone crawling across the skin from where the sunlight had touched them. In a short time three statues stood where the trolls had been.

Relieved laugher erupted from the Dwarves on the spit. Thorin relaxed against the ground, the thudding of his heart calming down in his chest. He watched Bilbo as the Hobbit swayed in the spot then fell to his knees. How could a weak creature like that have defeated the trolls so easily? _But he didn't_, a small voice in the back of Thorin's mind said. _He did._ Thorin looked to the hill to see a familiar silhouette.

Lifting his staff off the ground, Gandalf strode with purpose down the hill. He made quick work of extinguishing the fire and releasing the bound Dwarves from the spit and those on the ground from their sacks. Soon Thorin was dressed in his trousers and tunic, pulling on his boots. A shadow fell over him and he straightened up.

"Gandalf," Thorin said, looking up to the gray-clad wizard. The usual amused twinkle was missing from Gandalf's eye.

"Where in all of this universe have you been, Thorin Oakenshield?" Gandalf demanded. Thorin frowned. He had never heard the Istari speak in such harsh tones.

"We were in the uncharted Goblin territory," Thorin said. He spotted Bofur and Nori helping a trembling Bilbo from his sack. The Hobbit was leaning on his friends' shoulders for support. "Were you looking for us?"

"I believe you know the answer to that question," Gandalf said wisely. He tapped a stone troll with his staff. "I went to the Blue Mountains but Dis said you had already gone, so I left for the Rivendell for Lord Elrond's help. Nasty business, this," he commented, tapping the troll again.

"Why were you looking for me?" Thorin asked stiffly. Gandalf turned a sharp eye on him.

"I have a message for you," Gandalf said. When Thorin opened his mouth to ask after it, he shook his head. "Not here, not where the wrong set of ears could hear us."

"How did you know we were out here?" Thorin asked.

"First I saw your ship in the docking station," Gandalf told him. "I saw Ori disappearing into the forest and followed you." He turned his gaze back to the trolls. "What were you doing all the way out here? I would have thought you would be wise enough to remain in the ship for the night."

"We came out to rescue your Hobbit," Thorin explained. He leapt back in surprise as Gandalf whirled around, the wizard's staff nearly beaming him in the head.

"What Hobbit?" Gandalf demanded. Thorin motioned for him to turn around and he did. The Istari's shoulder slumped in relief. "Bilbo Baggins, never before in my life have I been so happy to see a Hobbit." Bilbo turned around at his name, his face paling.

"Gandalf?" he said softly. Gandalf hurried forward to kneel down and pull Bilbo into a hug. Thorin looked away at the gesture.

"Thank the Valar you are safe," Gandalf was murmuring to Bilbo who had pressed into the hug. "I am so very sorry you had to go through that."

"Gandalf," Bilbo mumbled. "You blasted wizard, I should have never listened to you."

"I know, Bilbo," Gandalf said. Standing, he patted Bilbo on the shoulder. "Still, you are in one piece and that is what is important." Thorin didn't miss the reassuring squeeze he gave Bilbo's shoulder before the wizard moved on to speak with Balin. Thorin advanced on the Halfling, Bilbo backing away from him.

"What were you thinking?" Thorin demanded. "That was rash of you to run off into the forest like that without a weapon. You could have been killed."

"Thorin," Gandalf's call caused Thorin to look at him. "Now is not the time to speak to Bilbo about that. Let him be." Thorin opened his mouth to argue but Gandalf's glare warned him against it. Grumbling, Thorin allowed Nori and Bofur to lead Bilbo away from him.

"Odd," Gandalf said, returning to his conversation with Balin. "I have never seen trolls this far out in the galaxy before."

"They must have come from a nearby planet," Balin suggested. "I have heard of trolls stowing away on ships in order to move to new lands."

"The only closest planet they could have come from would be the Etenmoors," Gandalf said. Thorin frowned at that. "And they cannot move in daylight."

"Then there must be a troll cave nearby," Thorin suggested.

"Of course," Gandalf breathed. "It would need to be nearby for this use."

"Fili, take the rest of the crew back to the ship," Thorin ordered. His nephew looked crestfallen at the prospect but nodded. "Dwalin and Balin are to remain with me." The crew filtered through the trees and Thorin turned back to Gandalf.

"Where do you propose we begin searching?" he asked.

"The nearby hills will have some caves," Gandalf said, and he set off toward the hill he had just come down from.

Seven hills and fourteen minutes later they had found the troll hoard. The stench of rotting meat rose up from the entrance, causing Thorin to breathe through his mouth. Gandalf led the way down into the cave with the three Dwarves close behind him. Thorin gaped at what was before him: piles of gold and silver, goblets and crown. Everything a Dwarf could have possibly wanted. The glittering hilt of a sword caught his attention and Thorin stepped carefully over the treasure to pull it free. Unsheathed, the sword was a glittering silver, curved on one end and straight on the other.

"These were made by no troll," Thorin said softly. Gandalf walked up beside him and pulled another sword free.

"Nor any smith among men," Gandalf added. He unsheathed the sword slightly and his eyebrows rose. "These were made in the First Age by the high Elves of Gondolin." When Thorin made to toss the sword he was holding aside the wizard frowned. "You could not ask for a finer blade." Begrudgingly, Thorin strapped the sword to his back along with his ax.

"Dwalin, Balin, let us go," Thorin ordered. He spotted Gandalf bending over to pick something up off the ground.

"What about the treasure?" Dwalin asked eagerly.

"Take only what we need," Thorin said. "Leave the rest for someone else to find." He left the brothers to gather treasure as he made his way in the direction of the ship. "We stop in Bree to pick up supplies then leave."

O.o.O

Gandalf and Bilbo sat on the gangway of the cargo bay, their legs hanging over the edge. The Dwarves had long since left to visit the village and gather supplies. Bilbo's arms rested on the lower rung of the railing, his chin resting on them. Gandalf seemed to be lost in thought until at last the wizard spoke.

"I truly am sorry, Bilbo," Gandalf said sadly. "I never meant for you or your kin to be attacked. I wished nothing but safety for you." Bilbo didn't answer and Gandalf squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "I will tell their families when I return to the Shire system next."

"Which will be soon," Bilbo said, looking up to the wizard. Seeing Gandalf's hesitation he frowned. "We are retuning, aren't we?"

"Sometime," the wizard said evasively. "In the near future, hopefully."

"Gandalf, I cannot spend another minute on this ship," Bilbo said. "Thorin hates me."

"Hate is a rather strong word," Gandalf said. He chuckled at Bilbo's expression. "One must understand Thorin before they understand why he treats them in such ways."

"Your riddles are getting more ridiculous by the year," Bilbo muttered, returning to staring down at the cargo bay floor.

"That was not a riddle," Gandalf said, humor in his voice. "I was being completely honest. From what you have told me about Thorin's treatment of you I can only surmise he has likened you to Frerin."

"Who?" Bilbo asked in confusion. He saw Gandalf's hesitation to continue, but still the wizard pressed on.

"Frerin was Thorin's younger brother," Gandalf told the Hobbit. At Bilbo's puzzled expression he smiled sadly. "Frerin died on the fields of Azanulabizar at the age of seventy-one."

"I thought Dwarves reached maturity at seventy-two," Bilbo said in confusion.

"They do," Gandalf agreed. "Frerin was rather rash for a Dwarf. He always wanted to be like his older brother, running bravely into battle and earning the glory for his people. I believe Thorin blames himself or the death of his brother. Had he not allowed such thoughts to grow in Frerin's mind then perhaps his younger brother would still be here today."

"But what does that have to do with me?" Bilbo asked the wizard desperately. "I'm not rash. I'm not even a Dwarf."

"And there are days I am thankful for that," Gandalf said. Bilbo cracked a small smile at him. "I am not sure what it is yet, but there is something within you Thorin sees akin to Frerin." Bilbo sighed and settled down once more. They were silent for a few minutes before he spoke.

"Are we returning to the Shire system when the Dwarves return?" Bilbo asked Gandalf. "Or do I have to stay here longer?"

"I am sorry, Bilbo," Gandalf said. "But I will need you to remain on this ship a bit longer before returning to the Shire system."

"But why?"

Gandalf sighed. "I cannot tell you everything immediately," he admitted. "But soon you will learn the truth. And when you do, I need you to remain with the Dwarves and ensure that everything works out in the end."

"What end?" Bilbo asked. "What are you even talking about?"

"All in good time, my dear Hobbit," Gandalf said. His eyes flicked to Bilbo's ears and his smile widened. "Bilbo, were you aware you have been speaking Khuzdul to me during this entire conversation?"

"N-No, I didn't. I've never learned Khuzdul in my life."

"And yet you speak it fluently. It appears you have made some friends during your stay on the ship." Gandalf's fingers brushed against Bilbo's ears and Bilbo felt something being pulled out of his ear. A white translator was held up for him to see. "Bofur must have taken quite a liking to you."

"I hadn't even noticed," Bilbo said, holding out his hand. Gandalf dropped it into his palm and Bilbo inspected the device. "I took them out earlier when I was upset."

"Thorin?" Gandalf guessed, and Bilbo nodded solemnly. He slipped the translator back into his ear, nearly yelping when Gandalf suddenly grabbed his healing hand. His bandage-wrapped hand was turned carefully over as Gandalf inspected it.

"What happened?" Gandalf asked worriedly. "Thorin did not hurt you, did he?"

"Oh no," Bilbo said quickly. "When I was upset with the Dwarves I climbed into the rafters. Thorin sent Nori, Fili, and Kili up to get me but Nori surprised me and I fell off. I think he caught me before I could fall too far."

"You think?" Gandalf repeated with a raised eyebrow. Bilbo flushed.

"I-I don't actually remember. I blacked out sometime after he caught me."

"I see," Gandalf said. He turned his gaze to the opposite wall of the cargo bay and silence fell between the two friends once more.

"Now, about this thing you need my help with . . ."

Gandalf laughed at that.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Well, it's getting pretty late so I better head to bed. A big thanks to Dala and TSORA for their reviews (so sorry I didn't say sooner!). And a big hello to my guest! It's great to hear from you again . . . whoever you are. If you're Clio then hi! If not, still hi! Toodles._

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_

**Now in- **_Don't you dare even say it._


	13. Songs and Silence

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the late update! I had two cups of coffee earlier and then my hands were shaking, so I couldn't type anything until now. My updates may slow down soon because of all my class projects I've been procrastinating on. If you guys are smart (and I'm sure you are) you don't do the same thing I do. Also, Castor and I talked about it and agreed that we will begin writing Hetalia again when I'm finished with this story._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Songs and Silence<strong>

"Would ya stop insutlin' their engines?"

"_Have you heard the noise they make? That awful screeching sound keeps me awake at night. It rings through the halls and bounces off the walls._"

"Of course I hear it. That doesn't mean I have ta complain about their engines all the time."

"_Says the Dwarf who cannot even remember a simple part name._"

"I can too!"

"Gentlemen!"

O.o.O

After his discussion with Gandalf on the gangway Bilbo retired to what was now his bedroom. With no one bothering him he took the chance to poke around the room. It was small with a bed in each of the farther corners. The beds themselves had been built with a boxy frame, sliding doors underneath the mattress to allow more storage space. A nightstand built into the wall sat in the middle of the beds, a lamp placed on top of it. Dressers were situated at the end of each bed. There was a single door in the corner Bilbo could only hope led to a bathroom.

Bilbo had just managed to pull himself onto one of the beds – an inch too high for a Hobbit's comfort – when his bedroom door opened with a slam. Hands grabbed his ankles, yanking him off the bed and causing him to yelp. He was faintly aware of someone throwing him over their shoulder and then his attacker flew out the door once more. Had it not been for the familiar coat he wouldn't have recognized . . .

"Nori," Bilbo gasped out, clutching at the Dwarf's coat. "What are you doing?" Nori hushed him as he hurried from the sleeping quarters and toward the stairs leading to the first level. "Where are you taking me?" Nori sighed and Bilbo waited patiently, bouncing against Nori's back as they ascended the stairs.

"Dori's looking for you," the star-haired Dwarf said.

"Is that a bad thing?" Bilbo asked. The blood rushing to his head was making him rather uncomfortable. Hopefully Nori stopped soon. The floor beneath him shifted from stairs to the grated floor of the first level.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Nori said. He carried Bilbo through the hall, only stopping when they had reached the engine room. Bilbo was lowered from his shoulder to the floor and Nori stood before him, hands on his hips. "I found him, Bofur." Bofur popped up from behind the engine.

"Great," the other Dwarf said with a grin. "Did ya run inta Dori at all?"

"Nope, he was finishing up his shopping when I headed back here," Nori said. "He shouldn't be here for another few minutes."

"What on earth are you two talking about?" Bilbo asked in disbelief. "I was perfectly fine in my room."

"Dori's lookin' fer ya," Bofur said as though it was obvious.

"Yes, I got that," Bilbo said. "But why is that a problem?" Bofur and Nori looked to each other before Bofur broke out into laughs.

"You've never been on the end of one of his makeovers," Nori muttered. "Why do you think I wear my hair like this?" He pointed to his interesting hairdo. "Dori pinned me down one evening and tested it out on me." Bofur guffawed at that, falling behind the engine.

"You two are being ridiculous," Bilbo said in exasperation. "I'm sure Dori is just trying to help."

"I liked my hair the way it was," Nori argued. When Bofur didn't stop laughing he threw a hammer over the engine and Bofur yelped. "Shut_ up_! It wasn't funny!"

"Oi! Don't throw those at me! Only Bif's allowed ta do that."

Rolling his eyes at the friends' antics, Bilbo slipped back out of the engine room. He passed Fili in the hall on his way to the stairs. The pilot greeted him enthusiastically before scowling at the engine room. Bofur's laughs had turned into curses as Nori continued to throw things at him.

"Apparently Dori's looking for me," Bilbo told him. Fili nodded slowly then headed down for the cockpit. Bilbo continued on his way down the stairs back to his room. Ori was milling around in the dining area, perking up when Bilbo stepped off the last stair.

"There you are, Bilbo!" the young Dwarf said enthusiastically. "I've been looking all over for you."

"You have?" Bilbo said in confusion. "Why?"

"I, uh, I wanted to talk about Hobbit culture," Ori said slowly. His eyes flicked briefly over Bilbo's shoulder and the Hobbit stiffened. He didn't have any time to turn around before strong hands landed on his shoulder. They dragged him backward down the hallway to the sleeping quarters.

"Wh-What's going on?" Bilbo called, his limbs flailing. "Who's there? Dori?"

"I cannot believe Nori was trying to hide you from me," Dori said from behind Bilbo. "He always had been far too immature for his age." He continued to drag Bilbo down the hall until they had reached the bedroom he shared with his brothers. Bilbo was shoved into the room, the door slamming shut and locking behind him. Dori turned away from the door with a satisfied expression.

"That should keep Nori out for a short while," he said, planting his hands on his hips. Bilbo shifted uneasily on the spot. "At least until we're too far along."

"T-Too far along in what?" Bilbo asked worriedly. He squealed when Dori leapt at him, pulling his tunic off over his head. The Hobbit found himself shoved backward into a chair, his head tilted back over a small table.

"You are beginning to look more and more like a Dwarf with every day that passes," Dori said unhappily. "I decided it was time I helped you look like a Hobbit again." He moved to stand behind Bilbo's head, rolling his sleeves up. "It will help you give Thorin a good impression at dinner tonight."

"Dinner?" Bilbo repeated. He winced when warm water trickled through his hair. Dori had placed a basin under his head. The Dwarf continued to pour handful of water through his hair and slowly Bilbo relaxed.

"Gandalf has decided to travel with us for a short while," Dori explained. "With him around Thorin is going to have to treat you more civilly now. That includes joining us at dinner tonight." He reached to the nightstand for a small bottle which he upended into his hand. The aroma of lavender tickled at Bilbo's nose as Dori scrubbed the shampoo into his hair.

"Is Thorin still mad at me?" Bilbo asked uneasily.

"If he is, he does not show it," Dori said. His eyes trailed down to Bilbo's black and blue torso. "You frightened us last night, little one."

"I really am sorry about that," Bilbo said. "I never meant to cause that much trouble with the trolls."

"I know," Dori chuckled. "It was not your fault you were captured. That was some quick thinking of yours, though. Where did you learn to think on your feet like that?" He began to rinse Bilbo's hair out, careful to keep the soap out of the Hobbit's eyes.

Bilbo shrugged at that. "I have several cousins," he said. "They always used to get me into trouble when I was younger. I had to think of ways to get out of trouble." Dori chuckled at that.

"I know the feeling," the Dwarf said. Grabbing a towel, he slipped it under Bilbo's head and guided the Hobbit back up. "You would not believe the kind of trouble Nori used to get into on the Blue Mountains." The towel was used to fluff Bilbo's hair then abandoned around his shoulders.

"I heard a bit about that," Bilbo admitted. "But Nori never really went into depth." Dori's fingers ran through his hair, tugging it straight out of its curls. His hair had gotten rather out of hand since he had left the Shire system.

"Nori was . . . a thief," Dori said slowly. "He used to get into all sorts of trouble with the police force back on the Blue Mountains. Would you mind if I cut your hair?"

"Not at all," Bilbo said. Dori disappeared from his side and he heard the nightstand drawer open. The Dwarf was back quickly, running a comb through the Hobbit's hair. "Did Nori ever get arrested? Sorry, you probably don't want to talk about that."

"No, no, it's fine," Dori said. There was a gentle _snip_ as he began to trim Bilbo's hair down to a decent length. "Yes, Nori did manage to get himself arrested plenty of times. He escaped every time, though. I cannot count how many times Dwalin turned up at the house to search for my brother."

"He was never there?" _Snip_.

"No." _Snip_. "Nori was smart enough to know not to return home for several days." _Snip_. "Still, it did sadden me that he avoided us for so long." _Snip_.

Bilbo frowned at the floor thoughtfully and the pair fell into a comfortable silence. Dori continued to circle him, snipping his hair back until he was content. The towel was removed and folded up carefully to be shaken out later. Bilbo ran a hand through his hair, humming gratefully. It felt wonderful to have his hair back to a reasonable length again.

"Here, use this to clean yourself off," Dori said, handing Bilbo a washcloth. "I wish I had somewhere you could bathe better but this is all we have right now."

"Oh that's quite alright," Bilbo said as he ran the washcloth down his arms. "It's just nice to feel clean again."

"Good," Dori said with a nod. "Then I hope this will help you feel better." A brown paper package Bilbo hadn't seen before was grabbed from the bed. Dori opened it to reveal Hobbit-sized clothes.

"Oh, Dori," Bilbo gasped. "You didn't have to." Dori shook his head, passing the clothes to Bilbo.

"Nonsense," the Dwarf said. "You have been running around in smugglers' pants and Ori's shirt for long enough. Now get dressed and then we will head to dinner." He turned his back to give Bilbo some privacy to dress. Bilbo gratefully swapped out the trousers he was wearing for a new pair. A shirt was pulled on, buttoned up, and tucked into the trousers, suspenders pulled up over his shoulder. Dori had gone to lengths to find Bilbo a golden waistcoat and plum-colored overcoat that fit the Hobbit perfectly. The Dwarf turned around when Bilbo was finished, casting an appraising look over the Hobbit.

"Thank you, Dori," Bilbo said honestly. "This is the kindest thing you could have done."

"It was nothing," Dori said, fixing Bilbo's overcoat. "Now you look like a proper Hobbit." There was a knock on the door, the handle jiggled, and then Nori poked his head in.

"You locked the door, Dori?" he asked. "Really?"

"How else was I supposed to keep you out of here?" Dori asked, his hands on his hips. "I needed some peace and quiet while I helped Bilbo." Nori stepped into the room, pretending to look around in confusion.

"Where is he, by the way?" Nori asked in faux confusion. "I could have sworn Ori told me you dragged him in here." Dori shook his head in disbelief and Bilbo had to hide a smile. Nori continued to pretend searching the room until he spotted Bilbo, his surprise too exaggerated to be real. "Dori, where did you find another Hobbit? I thought only Bilbo was here."

"This is Bilbo, you idiot," Dori said waspishly, grabbing Bilbo by the shoulder gently. "I just thought he ought to look more like a Hobbit and less like a Dwarf."

"Well bless me," Nori said as he clapped his hand to his forehead. "I almost didn't recognize you there, Bilbo."

"Of course you did," Dori muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you dinner is ready," Nori said, falling back into his relaxed attitude. "You've been in here for the last twenty minutes."

"We're done here now," Dori said. "So we might as well head into the dining area. Don't worry," he told Bilbo in a hushed whisper. "Gandalf will be there." Bilbo smiled back to him thankfully. Nori led the pair out of the bedroom and into the dining area where Bilbo could hear the hustle and bustle of the evening. He paused in the hallway, holding his hand up for Bilbo to stop, and Dori groaned.

"Really?"

"Is something wrong?" Bilbo asked Dori who just shook his head.

"Ahem," Nori cleared his throat. The commotion in the dining area died down as Dwarves supposedly turned to the thief. "I would like to introduce you to our honored guest, Bilbo Baggins of the Shire system." He stepped aside with a flourish to reveal Bilbo. Bofur grinned at the Hobbit's makeover while Gloin and Balin nodded appreciatively. Bilbo smiled nervously at each Dwarf who complemented him in their own way until he spotted Thorin. The captain of the ship looked shocked at seeing Bilbo dressed differently. At least it wasn't the usual scowl he wore.

"Ah, Bilbo, excellent," Gandalf said. "Now dinner can begin." He was seated at the head of the table, looking a bit too large to be sitting among Dwarves. Dori guided Bilbo forward to sit in a chair between Balin and himself. Balin patted Bilbo's knee in greeting then returned to the dinner Bombur had laid out. Bilbo had not seen such fresh food on the ship before: an entire ham, bowls of fruit, rolls, potatoes . . . The list went on and on. Bilbo's stomach grumbled hungrily and Balin chuckled.

"You best get what you can quickly," Balin warned Bilbo. "The lads can be a bit rambunctious when they get fresh food."

"Did you buy all this from Bree?" Bilbo asked curiously. Thorin moved slowly around the dining area until he sat at the other end of the table, flanked by his nephews.

"Aye," Balin said, a twinkle in his eye. "We used a bit of gold from the troll hoard we found."

"Troll hoard?"

"Gandalf did not tell you? We found a troll hoard not far from where he froze the trolls. I believe he left you a small chest of gold in your room for when you return to the Shire system. And a little something extra."

Bilbo never got the chance to ask Balin what that 'something extra' was. Thorin nodded to his crew and they fell on the food like a pack of wolves. Bilbo stared wide-eyed at their behavior, completely forgetting about himself until Dori started filling his plate for him.

"Oi," Nori shouted from down the table. A roll from Bofur hit him on the head. "Bilbo's a big Hobbit. He can feed himself."

"He won't get any food with you lot throwing it about," Dori countered. "Do you like peaches, Bilbo?" he asked the Hobbit.

"Oh, um, yes," Bilbo stuttered out. Dori grabbed him a small one and set the plate back down before him. An orange nearly beamed Balin in the head and the old Dwarf scowled at Kili who grinned back. Grabbing his fork and knife, Bilbo dug into the food before him. The Dwarves certainly were rowdy eaters in his book. They spent more time throwing food back and forth between each other than they actually did eating it. Gandalf just sat at the end of the table chuckling to himself over the whole matter.

Bilbo had never eaten at such a wonderful meal. The Dwarves laughed and shouted between each other. They started contests that usually ended in someone covered in food. Dwalin and Nori had a drinking contest several times, never coming out with a single winner unless they argued over it. Multiple times Bifur had to be stopped from stabbing Bofur in the ear with a fork. The one time he succeeded . . .

"OUCH!" Bifur roared with laughter as Bofur threw a fork at him. The food fight escalated until Bilbo was ducking under the table to avoid bits of ham and turkey. He heard silence fall as the Dwarves chugged their drinks and then suddenly they had started a belching contest. Stuffing his knuckles in his mouth, Bilbo tried to hide his laughing. He only reappeared from under the table when Balin nudged him with his foot. The Dwarves had leaned back in their chairs, patting their full bellies and complimenting Bombur on the excellent meal.

"Delicious!"

"Wonderful!"

"The best ya've made yet!"

"I wish we could eat like this more often!'

Bombur took each compliment with a small bow and returned to finishing off his plate. Bilbo looked down at his own, a thought popping into his head. He nudged Dori gently and the Dwarf turned to him.

"What should I do with my plate?" he asked sincerely. A hand reached over his shoulder and plucked it form him.

"Don't worry, Bilbo," Fili said. "I'll hand this." And then suddenly he threw the plate to Kili who caught it before it could hit the ground.

"Fili!" Bilbo cried out. "Kili!" His shouts were ignored as another plat joined the first and Kili threw them to Bifur who caught them in succession on his way to the sink. A few of the other Dwarves had started thumping their silverware on the table then running them against each other.

_Thump, thump, shing, shing._

"Should you really be doing that?" Bilbo asked the Dwarves as they continued with the moves. "You might blunt them."

"Do ya hear that, lads?" Bofur asked jovially. "He says we'll blunt the knives." Bilbo sputtered at him as Kili began singing.

"_Blunt the knives and bend the forks . . ."_

And then Fili was singing as he threw yet another plate from his brother.

"_Smash the bottles and burn the corks . . ."_

The Dwarves' voices filled the small dining area.

"_Chip the glasses and crack the plates, that's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

And suddenly Bilbo was trapped in the middle of more Dwarven chaos. Dishes flew around the room and were caught with keen accuracy. Forks were tossed carelessly between Dwarves and a knife almost stabbed Bifur in the head had he not caught it time.

"_Cut the cloth, tread on the fat, leaves the bones on the bedroom mat._

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor, splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl, pound them up with a thumping pole,_

_When you're finished if they are whole, send them down the hall to roll!"_

Bilbo could only watch in utter amazement as dish after dish was washed up by Bifur, dried by Ori, and put back in its place by Nori. Very soon, perhaps too soon, the dining table had been cleared away and the Dwarves were finishing their song.

"_That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"_

Bilbo laughed in astonishment. Gandalf's chuckles echoed throughout the room as the Dwarves clapped each other on the back. They returned to their seats at the table with a comfortable air around them. Bilbo spotted Thorin smiling to himself out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't until Gandalf had cleared his throat that the Dwarves calmed down.

"Gandalf," Thorin said in his deep voice. "When do you intend to return the Halfling to the Shire system?" The room fell silent and the Dwarves' smiles slipped from their faces. Gandalf coughed subtly.

"Thorin," Balin said softly, but Thorin hushed him with a glare.

"Why else would Gandalf have remained on this ship unless he intended that?" he asked.

"I do not know when I will take Bilbo Baggins back," Gandalf said slowly. Every face turned to him, some a bit more anxious looking than others. "But it will not be today. As to why I remained on this ship . . . well, I am in need of a ride back to Rivendell."

"That was not our agreement when you asked for a ride on my ship," Thorin said coolly. Bilbo swallowed hard at that. He remembered Gandalf telling him earlier he would be needed by Thorin and his crew before he returned to the Shire system.

"We made no agreement when I boarded," Gandalf reminded Thorin. "I came here from Lake-Town with my friend Radagast. He gave me ill news I must in turn take to Lord Elrond on Rivendell."

"Why couldn't he take it?" Kili asked curiously, quailing under Thorin's glare.

"Radagast needed to return to his home in Rhosgobel," Gandalf explained gently. "The Greenwood has fallen ill with some dark magic and Dol Guldur has been swarmed by dark things."

"Very well," Thorin said. "I will take you as far as the Elves are willing to come out and fetch you."

"Oh I think you will be willing to go further," Gandalf said with a knowing smile. He winked at Bilbo and the Hobbit's stomach clenched in anticipation.

"What are you talking about, wizard?"

"I believe it is time you and your kin, Thorin Oakenshiled, took back Erebor." A silence hung around the table at the words and Thorin's glare increased.

"There is no way near that planet," Thorin growled out. "We would be dead before we even reached the Greenwood."

"But you see, that is where you are wrong," Gandalf said. "The dragon Smaug has been asleep for far too long. I do not believe even your ship could wake him."

"There is no way into that mountain," Balin said. "The front doors were sealed by a cave-in caused by the beast."

"That was not the only key," Gandalf reminded the old Dwarf with a twinkle in his eye. A flick of his wrist and a turn of his fingers revealed a stone key. Thorin straightened up at the sight of it.

"Where did you find that?" the captain asked in a hushed voice.

"It was given to me by your father Thrain," Gandalf said. "For safekeeping until the time came for you to take Erebor. He also left me a map into the mountain." The map was procured from a pocket. Both items were passed down the table with reverence to Thorin who opened the map and smoothed it out on the table.

"A map into Erebor," he breathed.

"Yes, the marks speak of a hidden door into the mountain," Gandalf said. "The location itself may be hidden somewhere on the map, but I do not have the skills to find it. There are others, though, who can."

Thorin's eyes flicked up to Gandalf. "You believe Lord Elrond could help us?" he asked.

"I do," Gandalf said. "And you could pick up supplies there as well before leaving for the quest."

"It would be hopeless," Balin said with a shake of his head. "Smaug knows the scent of Dwarf." Bilbo frowned as his ears picked up a strange sound reverberating off the walls. _Whump, whump, whir. Whump, whump, whir._ So intent he was on listening he almost missed Gandalf's next words.

"But the smell of Hobbit is all but unknown to him." Bilbo was suddenly aware of every eye turning to him.

"Sorry, did you say something?" he asked politely. Bofur snickered and Dori shook his head.

"You believe the Halfling could sneak into Erebor?" Thorin asked Gandalf. Bilbo frowned, not at the words but at the continuous sound. _Whump, whump, whir. Whump, whump, whir._

"Bilbo? Bilbo?" Bilbo shook his head, turning to look at Gandalf who appeared quite flummoxed. "Have you been listening to a single word we have been saying?"

"Sorry, I just . . . thought I heard something," Bilbo said slowly.

"How can you hear anything in here?" Bofur asked. "There's nothing but us and the ship's engine."

"Hobbits have remarkable hearing," Gandalf said. He turned back to Bilbo. "What are you hearing?"

"I'm not quite sure," Bilbo said. Pushing his chair out, he removed a translator from his ear and moved to press against his pointed ear against the wall. Vibrations ran through the ship's walls and into his ear. _Whump, whump, whir. Whump, whump, whir._ It was growing closer.

"Hush," Gandalf shushed the Dwarves as someone began to speak. "Do not even move. Bilbo might miss something." Silence fell for several seconds Bilbo listened.

"Well?" Nori asked, breaking the tense air.

"It sounds like . . . 'whump, whump, whir'," Bilbo said, screwing up his eyes. "Is it another ship?" he asked Gandalf as he stepped away from the wall. Thorin's shout almost made him jump out of his skin.

"Orcs!"

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Castor read this before I posted it and she loved it . . . she also told me I owe her $50 if I abandon this story. _**:3 **_I'm not paying that. _**Yes you are. **_No, I'm not. _**Yes, you are. **_Just shut up already. What are you even doing here? This is my story. Don't you have homework to be doing? _**Yes. **_Then why aren't you doing it? _**Don't you have projects to be doing?**_ . . . Shut up. Anyway, toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	14. Battles and Beauties

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the short chapter! I have to get to class. We're going on a field trip to a vineyard today. I'll try to update afterward!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Battles and Beauties<strong>

"Would ya stop insultin' their engines? It's gettin' on me nerves. And why are ya starin' at me like that? It's creepy!"

"_I am imagining I am throwing a socket wrench at your head._"

"Oh that's it!"

"_You cannot even strangle me with both hands. How do you think you can do it with your hands tied behind your back?_"

"I goin' ta kill ya!"

"GUARDS!"

O.o.O

The dining area fell into chaos. Dwalin was already hurtling down the sleeping quarter's hall to fetch his axes. Kili and Fili remained in their chairs, stricken expressions on their faces. It took several prods from Balin to make them move. Bofur and Bifur flew up the stairs to the engine room. Dori hurried through the scrambling Dwarves to grab his brothers' arms in a firm grip. Bilbo sidled his way to Gandalf's side, grabbing the wizard's sleeve.

"Enough!" Thorin roared over the shouting. Nori stopped shouting at Dori for a second, Ori trembling beside him. "Kili, Fili, get up to the cockpit. Tell Bofur and Bifur to run the ship at a hard burn." Fili tore up the stairs with Kili hot on his heels. "Gandalf, take the Halfling and get to a pod. If the Orcs board I want you off this ship and heading to safety." Gandalf nodded and clutched Bilbo's shoulder, whispering something in his ear. The Hobbit hurried down the hall to his bedroom just as Dwalin reappeared with several weapons in his hands. "I want everyone else down in the cargo bay armed and ready for battle." Dwalin began to pass out the weapons he had gathered. Thorin charged up the stairs toward the cockpit, leaving Dwalin in charge.

Bifur and Bofur were darting around the engine room as they prepared for a hard burn. Levers were jerked back, knobs were turned, and screws were tightened. Bifur disappeared behind the engine and Thorin heard a distinct screeching down from back there. Bofur's face was a mask of indifference, his usual laughing smirk missing. He nodded to Thorin as the captain of the ship hurried down the hall toward the cockpit. Fili was flitting between monitors, Kili already seated in the pilot seat.

"Any signs of the Orcs yet?" Thorin asked Fili, striding up to stand behind Kili. His younger nephew was gripping the steering in one white-knuckled grip while his other hand flipped switches.

"They're right behind us," Fili told his uncle. Leaning over, Thorin examined the monitor his nephew pointed at. A red dot sped across the pale green screen, accompanied by a consistent _blip_. Thorin swallowed hard and turned back to look out the windshield.

"What do we do?" Fili asked in a soft voice. What had started as a fun evening was turning into a disaster for the young Dwarves. They had never met Orcs before now, never having worried about them in the wide open space of the universe.

"We outrun them," Thorin said. "Fly at a hard burn for as long as we can." Kili shifted his grip on the steering wheel, swallowing hard.

"What if they catch us?" Fili voiced the horrible thought aloud. Thorin clapped him on the shoulder, looking his nephew straight in the eye.

"Then we fight," he said honestly. He laid a hand on Kili's shoulder in a comforting manner. "We are Dwarves of Erebor. We do not go down without a fight." His words caused Fili and Kili to nod slowly. "Whatever you do, Kili, do not allow them to get near us." Taking a deep breath, Kili shifted in his seat.

"I'm ready," the young Dwarf said. His brother grabbed the back of his chair in anticipation. "Just say the word." Thorin turned his gaze to the oncoming ship on the monitor. With every minute that passed vibrations grew throughout the ship. The familiar _whump, whump, whir_ caused the glass of the windshield to tremble in its frame.

"Thorin?" Fili's voice was strained.

"Hold," Thorin said gruffly. He watched the red dot grow closer and closer.

"Thorin, they're on top of us!" Fili shouted, his voice cracking. "Uncle!"

"NOW!" Thorin roared. Kili threw a lever and slammed the steering wheel forward for a spurt of speed. _The Arkenstone_ rocketed forward at ridiculous speeds, the stars rushing past. Thorin held the rail of the cockpit's deck in a death grip. The entire ship was shaking under Kili's control.

"Hard burn!" Thorin shouted down the hall. "Hard burn!" Bifur's shout of Khuzdul echoed down the hall followed by a terrible wrenching sound. Fili had grabbed the hand-held for the intercom and was yelling into it words Thorin couldn't decipher. His attention turned back to the monitor to see the red dot following them closely. He rounded on Kili.

"Why are you flying clean? Fly dirty! FLY DIRTY!" Kili spared his uncle a glance before he suddenly wrenched the steering wheel sideways. The ship careened over and completely flipped. It was followed by another spurt of speed and Thorin thought he was going to be sick.

"Get me a forged corkscrew," Kili screamed to Fili who stumbled to the door of the cockpit.

"Forged corkscrew!" Fili shouted down the hall. "Get us a forged corkscrew!"

"She can't handle it!" Bofur's yell answered. Fili turned to his brother who nearly shouted himself hoarse in his next words.

"SHE HAS TO! GIVE ME A CORKSCREW!" Thorin dug his heels into the steel floor as the ship vaulted itself through yet another flip. More screeches erupted from the engine as Bifur and Bofur prepared her for a dangerous move. Fili managed to make his way to the copilot seat, buckling himself in. Kili reached for a knob beside him until Bofur's shout carried down the hall.

"SHE'S ALL READY!"

"HOLD ON!" Kili shouted back. Spinning the steering wheel completely upside down, he jammed the knob in. Thorin was nearly thrown over the railing as the ship flew into a series of flips. A grinding sound erupted from the engine room and Bofur could be heard cursing. Thorin's teeth rattled in his skull and he clung on. The tortuous twirling continued, threatening to dislodge Thorin completely from the ship.

Suddenly it stopped. Kili was bent over the steering wheel, panting. Fili's white-knuckled grip on the arms of his chair didn't ease up. He stared straight ahead, his eyes wide with terror. Peeling himself off the railing, Thorin straightened up. He stumbled backward to peer through the door. Black smoke was emitting from the engine. Bifur had hauled his unconscious cousin out of the engine room and was slapping him across the face.

"Thorin," Kili said in a small voice. Sparing Bofur a glance, Thorin made his way back to nephew's side. Kili pointed at the green screen and Thorin swallowed hard. The Orcs were close behind, nearing them with every minute that passed.

"Get your weapons," Thorin ordered, his voice strained. Kili and Fili unbuckled themselves from their chairs and flew from the cockpit. Thorin followed them at a sedated pace, pausing by Bifur to check on Bofur. The engineer's head lolled to the side, a trickle of blood running down the side of his face from his temple.

"Did he hit his head?" Thorin asked. Bifur nodded, muttering in Khuzdul. "Get your boar spear." When Bifur opened his mouth to argue Thorin clapped him on the shoulder. "I will not ask you to leave your cousin's side, but you must be prepared for anything." Bifur nodded again and hurried to grab his weapon from his room. Thorin threw himself down the stairs, through the dining room, and down the second flight of stairs.

Ten Dwarves stood in the cargo bay in clusters of their families. Dori and Nori stood before Ori, their younger brother trembling on the spot. Gloin's axe was held before him in a tight grip while Oin's staff remained at his side. Bombur had armed himself with a rather large ladle, standing along without his brother or cousin. Balin nodded a greeting to Thorin as Dwalin passed him the Elvish sword. Kili and Fili were at Thorin's side the moment he moved to the front of the company.

"Where's Bofur?" Nori asked Thorin, his voice breaking the tense silence. Thorin felt Bombur's worried gaze turn to him.

"He was struck on the head in the engine room," Thorin said softly. He nodded to Bombur. "Go, be with your brother." The rotund Dwarf hurried up the steps and out of the cargo bay toward his family.

"Are we going to die?" Ori asked in a small voice. Dori gripped his shoulder in a tight grip and Nori patted him on the back. Thorin swallowed hard. Who knew what was going to happen in the next few moments.

"Gandalf?" Thorin asked Balin quietly.

"He and Bilbo escaped in a pod," the old Dwarf responded. "The moment the ship fell dead in the water."

"He's abandoned us," Dwalin growled, and Ori wailed at that. Dori glared at Dwalin whose scowl only deepened. "He did. Why else would he have left in such a hurry?"

"Enough," Thorin barked. Dwalin backed down and Dori returned to soothing his youngest brother. "Whatever happens next I want you all to know it has been an honor flying with you."

"We would have to Erebor with you, laddie," Balin said seriously, accompanied by several murmurs of agreement. "But it will be an honor to die fighting side by side with King Under the Mountain." Thorin smiled grimly at that. Trust Balin to bring up such a topic when they were about to die.

"How far away were they when you came down here?" Nori asked Thorin, his arm wrapped around Ori's shoulders. Thorin had opened his mouth to respond when the entire ship shuddered.

"Right there," Kili squeaked out. Fili stepped closer to his brother, their arms brushing in comfort.

"Hold your ground," Thorin ordered as he turned back to the door. "Whatever comes through that door you hold your ground. No Orc will pass through this bay unharmed." Dwalin shifted his grip on his axes and growled under his breath. What happened next Thorin would never completely understand.

The sound of a spark crackled through the entire cargo and then suddenly electricity spread through the metal. Thorin's hair stood on end with the energy. His body convulsed until he hit the ground, shaking. He heard Kili squealing in pain and Ori screaming followed by a series of thumps. The electricity stopped pulsing through the ship and Thorin's body twitched with final convulsions. Through a haze of semi-consciousness he heard a screeching sound of metal being torn apart. The doors to the cargo bay opened and a lithe figure advanced on Thorin. It bent over him, fading from view as Thorin's eyes flickered shut. His head rolled to the side and he was unconscious.

O.o.O

Bilbo wasn't quite sure what to make of the Elves. He and Gandalf had barely left _the Arkenstone_ in their wake when the Elvish ships had overtaken them. They were slender ships – Second Age _Starlights_, Gandalf told him – forged from mithril in smooth triangular shapes built to hold no more than five Elves a piece.

"Built for battle," Gandalf had explained to Bilbo. "They were used several times until the Elves designed the _Western Ship_.

"What is a _Western Ship_?" Bilbo had asked curiously as the Elves' ships shot past them.

"That," Gandalf had said, pointing ahead of them. A long, silver ship shaped like a raindrop had coasted over the small pod, heading for the Orcs' ship as it attacked _the Arkenstone_.

Gandalf and Bilbo's arrival on the planet of Rivendell had been warm. Lord Elrond was absent – having been aboard the _Western Ship_ they had passed – but Lindir had greeted Bilbo with such joy the Hobbit almost felt at home. Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond's sons, were especially keen to meet the Hobbit. They distracted his attention from Gandalf with question after question about Hobbit cultures until their father's ship returned.

Scurrying to Gandalf's side, Bilbo watched the large raindrop-shaped ship lower into the atmosphere. The _Stardusts_ skimmed past it to settle first on the tarmac, their speeds ultimately the better of the two designs. The _Western Ship_ – _Celebrían_, as the helm said – lowered slowly onto the docking station, legs extracting to catch the ship before it hit the ground too hard. A ramp at the rounded end of the ship lowered and a tall, dark-haired Elf strode down to hug Gandalf.

"Gandalf," the Elf said. "It seems too long since your last visit here. I wish you would have stayed longer last week. I never had the chance to see you."

"I am sorry about that," Gandalf told the Elf. "But I was in a hurry to find Thorin and his crew before anyone else did." Bilbo watched the meeting between old friends until the Elf's eyes fell on him.

"A Halfling," he said in surprise. "I was not aware you were removing Halflings from their sanctuary."

"I am not," Gandalf said quickly. "Bilbo was meant to act as an ambassador in the Government during next week's discussions about the sanctuary. Bilbo, I would like you to meet Lord Elrond." Bilbo's mouth fell open at that.

"L-Lord Elrond?" he repeated. He made to bow but the Elf Lord's hands caught his shoulder.

"There is no need for such niceties, Bilbo Baggins," Lord Elrond said with a chuckle. "It is indeed a great honor to meet a Halfling from the Shire system. It has been centuries since once has graced my home of Imladris." Gandalf smiled warmly at Lord Elrond, perhaps thanking him for his courtesy.

"Now, about the Orcs," Lord Elrond continued. "We took care of them quickly enough, but not before they had managed to dock against your friend's ship." He gave Gandalf a meaningful look before turning to Lindir. "Have a ship sent out to retrieve _the Arkenstone_ at once. She is in need of repairs, particularly to the engine."

"Wh-What about the Dwarves?" Bilbo asked. Lord Elrond looked down to him then turned to gesture to the ship. Several Elves descended the ramp with boards between them. It wasn't until they had passed Bilbo that he saw what was on them. The Dwarves were unconscious, a sickly pale color under the grime on their faces. A trickle of blood ran down Bofur's cheek, accompanied by a terrible looking dark scar that fanned out like a fern.

"The Orcs were armed with a discharger," Lord Elrond was Gandalf behind Bilbo. "They managed to electrocute the ship moments before we arrived. Bofur, I believe you called him, his heart had stopped but we were able to restart it with a shock from the defibrillators."

"Will they be alright?" Bilbo asked earnestly. Lord Elrond smiled down at him, patting his curls.

"Only time can tell now, little one," the Elf said before following the Elves into the extravagant building. A hand fell on Bilbo's head and he looked up to see Elrohir and Elladan.

"Tell us, Bilbo," Elrohir said. "Have you ever heard of hide and seek?"

O.o.O

Agent Smith could only shake his head as a sedated Bofur was carried out of the interrogation room. Bifur grinned at him once before the Dwarf was led back to his cell. Pinching his nose, the agent sighed. That had gone badly enough.

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Gotta run! Bye!_


	15. Understandings and Untimely

Disclaimer: _I don't own Hetalia, er, I mean the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry I never updated again yesterday, I was too tired after my field trip to the vineyard. Which was boring, by the way! An hour total on the bus and then an hour listening to a guy talk about grapes. Geez, how boring. Anyway, here's your chapter. Castor's making me work on some of my projects tonight so I don't die with procrastination._

_A big witam to Seti31! Thanks so much for the favorite. Also, sorry if the Polish is wrong, Castor usually plays Poland in our stories._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Understandings and Untimely<strong>

Oin hadn't always been interested in medicine. At a younger age he had wanted to be a smith like their father, forging swords for great warriors and kings. His father had taught him everything he could in the beginning. In the year 4872 the call had come. Every Dwarf was needed for the Battle of Azanulbizar. At the age of twenty-five Oin had eagerly joined the army. He could still remember waving farewell to Gloin as he departed with their father. Gloin had stood on the front step with their mother at the age of sixteen, not knowing this might be the last time he saw his older brother.

Several weeks later Oin stumbled back into the house with a nasty injury to the head and no father to speak of. It had been Gloin who had picked him up off the floor and dusted off his jacket. Gloin had been the one to tend to his wounds, both physical and mental. Every nightmare Oin had about the battle was countered by Gloin's soft voice singing his older brother back to sleep. Gloin had been his crutch during the hardest part of his life.

Until the day Oin received word: Gloin had been injured in an accident at the smithy. His fingers had nearly been severed when a sword slipped from the anvil. Oin had rushed to the hospital the moment he'd heard the news. Watching the doctors stitch his brother's fingers back together, Oin'd had a life-changing moment. He had found his calling.

Once his brother had been settled at home with their mother to care for him, Oin had left for medical school. Twelve years of schooling later found Oin working at the local hospital where he told a horrified miner his cousin would never be the same. It was the hardest diagnosis he had given, watching the miner cry into his brother's shoulder, asking Mahal _why_? He had been one hundred at the time. Sixty-two years later he met the Dwarf he had diagnosed as permanently injured and later insane. Both he and his now jovial cousin would be working as the ship's engineers.

Oin tugged uselessly at the handcuffs binding his hands to the steel table. Why the Men felt an elderly, half-deaf Dwarf was a danger to them was beyond him. Yes, he did know the weakest points in a body whether it be a Man or a Dwarf. Yes, he was one of the more skilled warriors on the ship's crew. And yes, he had treated Bilbo enough to be properly defensive about him. So when the human agent named Smith had entered the room he had made his opinion very apparent.

"I-I see . . ." Agent Smith said, blinking in shock. He glanced over his shoulder to the closing door before turning back to Oin, finding no help for him. Oin smiled at the familiar fist mark on the Man's face. He had treated the fist enough times to know it belonged to a certain insane Dwarf. "I am sorry about the predicament, but we can't be taking any precautions."

"Apparently your precautions aren't working well enough," Oin commented. The Man scowled at that.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Bifur punched you," Oin said, motioning with his handcuffed hands at the Man's face. "I'd recognize that bruise anywhere. I've seen it enough on Bofur's face."

"Yes," Agent Smith sighed as he rubbed the bruise. "I made the mistake of allowing Bofur to translate for me while I spoke with Bifur." Shaking his head, he settled himself into the chair opposite Oin.

"They got into a fight?" Oin guessed.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Agent Smith said.

"Oh, I think I could," Oin countered. When Agent Smith looked confused he decided to go further into the explanation. "Bifur and Bofur have had a strained relationship since the day I met them. Bifur was an orphan from birth, his mother died in childbirth and his father abandoned him to his sister-in-law." Agent Smith leaned forward in interest, paying close attention to Oin's words. "He was raised alongside Bofur and Bombur. His aunt never treated him badly, but Bifur never really felt like he belonged."

"Bifur's records have no recollection of what you're saying," Agent Smith said slowly. "How do you know this?"

"Bifur spends a lot of restless nights in the medical bay," Oin explained. "He and his cousins are miners and toymakers with ancestry from Moria."

"They're from the working class," Agent Smith reiterated and Oin nodded. "Don't Dwarves keep records of the working class?"

"We do," Oin said slowly, wondering how to explain this. "But Erebor was our capital. When the planet fell to Smaug we lost all sense of order. We Dwarves were forced to move to other moons and planets, taking work where we could. Bifur was born in a small village on the Blue Mountains. His was a home birth and so not recorded until several years later when he turned twenty. It was the same with Bofur and Bombur."

"I see," Agent Smith said. Sitting back, he crossed his arms. "Your records show you studied on Rivendell for twelve years before returning to the Blue Mountains."

"Aye, Lord Elrond taught me himself," Oin said. "Gandalf himself recommended me to his friend as a student."

"Strange," the Man commented. "Both you and Dori were directed there by Gandalf to study schooling."

"You Men," Oin sighed with a shake of his head. "Always seeing connections where there are none. When will you learn?" If Agent Smith was insulted he didn't show it.

"How many years did you work at the local hospital on the Blue Mountains?" Agent Smith asked. Oin turned his eyes to the ceiling, recounting the years.

"One hundred and twenty-two years," he finally said. "I began working there in 4887 when I returned from Rivendell as an assistant."

"And by the end of your time working there you were the Chief of Medicine?"

"Aye."

"What made you leave?" Oin blinked at the agent's question. "Clearly you were working in a good position at the hospital. Why did you decide to leave for _the Arkenstone_?"

"Because Gloin was going," Oin said, as though it was obvious. "Gloin is family, and where I come from you don't abandon family." Agent Smith's eyebrows rose at the comment. "Gloin and I have looked after each other from the moment Gloin could walk. When Thorin asked him to join as an accountant I offered my services as a medic."

"During your time on the ship did you find yourself working in that particular position?"

"Not really," Oin admitted. "We Dwarves can have rather thick skulls when we want to. If anyone managed to get themselves injured on a job they usually kept it to themselves."

"And would you say your skills had grown rather rusty when Bilbo had joined the ship?" Agent Smith asked. Oin looked appalled at that.

"Not at all," he said. "I continued to practice medicine when I could but by no means does that mean I forgot anything."

"And what about these . . ." Agent Smith consulted a sheet of paper before continuing. "Medical mites? They don't appear to be manufactured by any cooperation."

"That's because they're not," Oin said. "Medical mites are one of Bofur's inventions."

"What exactly are they?"

"They are miniscule mites, a bit like technological spiders, that replace damaged DNA. They can heal anything from torn skin to broken bones."

"Do they leave scars?" Agent Smith asked.

"Of course," Oin said. "Any kind of treatment will leave a scar. Bilbo's just showed up more often than everyone else's because he is a Hobbit."

"How should his being a Hobbit affect anything?"

"The medical mites were invented for use on Dwarves," Oin explained. "Our skin is tougher than a Hobbit's."

"Is that the cause for Bilbo's sensitivity to the medical mites?"

"Aye. Why are you asking these questions, laddie?"

"We want to be one hundred percent accurate for the trial," Agent Smith said. At Oin's confused look he explained. "You and your crew members are looking at life in prison for the kidnapping and prolonged possession of a Hobbit."

Oin sighed. "Where did Bifur leave off?" he asked. "Obviously he must have told some of the story or you wouldn't be here right now." Agent Smith hesitated before nodding in agreement.

"Lord Elrond had just rescued the crew from the Orcs' ship."

"Alright then," Oin said with a nod. "Bofur was the last one of us to wake up. That head injury he had earned himself in the engine room hadn't helped any. Of course, if he hadn't made that stupid move he would have been fine . . ."

O.o.O

_Bofur and Bifur watched helplessly as the engine screamed in its cradle. The hard burn Kili had shouted for was pushing the ship past her limits. If they continued at this rate any longer she'd fall from the sky in a storm of fire and smoke._

"_Come on, sweetie," Bofur urged. Beside him, Bifur grabbed a socket wrench and chucked it at the engine with a shout in Khuzdul. "Bif, leave it. She'll be fine," Bofur shouted to his cousin. Bifur gestured back to the engine and spoke again. "I know she's strained, but she can make it."_

_Bofur's words were punctuated by a terrible _clang_. The engineer spun around just in time to see a long pipe snap out of place and spin sideways, trapping itself between the whirling engine and its cradle. The force of the engine was too much for the strength of the pipe and likewise the pipe was too strong for the engine to continue spinning. Bofur watched in horror as the engine – once a dizzying mass of spinning parts – stuttered in place. A terrible screeching sound filled the engine room as the ship's engine attempted to continue spinning and the pipe tried to keep it in place. Black smoke billowed from the struggle, leaking out into the hallway._

"_Oh, Mahal," Bofur cursed before he leapt forward, his hand reaching for the lodged pipe. He heard Bifur shout at him to stop just as his hand closed around the end of the pipe. His move was enough to shift the pipe just an inch and the engine screamed back into its spinning. Bofur could only watch in horror as the pipe was jerked forward, his arm along with it, and under the engine. The engine drove over Bofur's arm relentlessly, drawing scream from him. The last thing he saw was a part of the engine flying at his head and everything went black._

Bofur liked sleep. Sleep was peaceful. Sleep was good. He especially liked this wonderful sleep where he felt like he was floating. His dreams were filled with angels from the heavens, like those one the Men were always talking about. They sang to him in their sweet, melodious voices. Their fingers ran through his hair and soothed his aching injuries. If Bofur didn't know better he'd have thought he had died. Now if only that one little demon spawn would stop knocking on his forehead.

"Bif, knock it off." That certainly wasn't one of the angels. The knocking on Bofur's forehead turned into drumming. "Bif, if you don't stop I'll tell the Elves." Harsh words met Bofur's ears and he frowned slightly. "I'm serious this time. They said if you kept knocking on his head like that he might never wake up." More harsh words and a sigh. "Fine, I'll tell Dori."

"Tell Dori what?" Bofur finally croaked. It seemed like he wouldn't be getting any more sleep tonight. He forced his heavy eyelids open to see Bifur sitting on his stomach, his cousin's hand raised over his head. Bifur cocked his head like a puppy and spoke something in Khuzdul.

"Aye, I'm awake," Bofur groaned. "Now would ya get off me?" Bifur frowned and growled again. "I don't hate ya, Bif. Yer just heavy." Nori's face appeared in the background.

"I told him to get off you," Nori offered up. "But he wouldn't listen to me like he does you."

"He doesn't even do that," Bofur pointed out. "Why didn't ya just pull him off?" Nori shrugged at that.

"Meh, too much work."

"Yer a great friend, Nori."

"I try."

Bifur knocked on Bofur's head again and Bofur groaned. His head still ached from the incident in the engine. And if the pounding in the back of his skull was anything to go by it wasn't leaving anytime soon. The dull pain in his right arm throbbed in time with his heart. Bifur continued to rant, Bofur only half aware of what his cousin was saying. He only nodded in agreement before promising to never make a stupid move like that aga-.

"Wait, what stupid move?" Bofur asked his cousin. Bifur scowled and shook a finger at him, growling.

"Bifur told us you tried to grab a piece of the engine that fell off," Nori said lazily. He had disappeared from Bofur's view but reappeared with a vase in his hands. "Why'd you do something stupid like that?"

"The engine would have exploded if I didn't," Bofur argued. Bifur gave him a final thump on the head before hopping off his cousin and leaving the room.

"He's probably going to find Bombur," Nori said, tossing the vase aside. Bofur heard a shattering sound but Nori didn't look fazed. "Your brother's been worried sick for days."

"How long have I been out?" Bofur asked as he pushed himself upright on the bed. He froze at the sight before him and blinked then blinked again. "Bless me, where are we?"

The room was extravagant. Sunlight streamed through walls made of silk that fluttered in the winds. Soft golden hues and warm reds graced every tapestry and cloth in the rooms. The chairs by the bed, the armoire opposite him, and the bedside tables were all made of a soft willowy wood. To top it all off the floor and columned walls were made of a sandstone he had never seen before.

"First question," Nori said, ticking off a finger. "Three days. The Elves kept you sedated so you wouldn't hurt yourself. Second question, Rivendell."

"What happened?" Bofur asked breathlessly. A shake of his head caused his hair to shift across his shoulders. Someone had taken it out of its braids and brushed it. Nori fell into a particularly fine wooden chair and propped his heels up on Bofur's bed.

"Moments after you conked out we were attacked by Orcs," Nori said. "Thorin let Bifur and Bombur stay by you. We all thought we were going to die." Bofur gave him his best 'clearly we're alive look'. "Yeah, yeah, we're still alive. The Orcs had a discharger on their ship. The moment they connected to ours they let her rip."

"Electric shock?" Bofur guessed. Nori nodded solemnly.

"I've never felt anything like it," the thief said. "One moment the entire ship was shaking and the next this pain just went right up my legs. It made my hair stand on end and I couldn't move. The Elves managed to rip the Orcs' ship off ours with one of their own before we could be killed."

"Bless me," Bofur sighed, shaking his head. "You laddies sure do get into trouble when I'm asleep."

"At least you got a cool scar," Nori muttered. Bofur frowned in confusion and his friend pointed to his other side. Turning his head, Bofur saw himself in a small mirror. His head had been wrapped in clean, white bandages, his hat missing and an awful gash down his right temple had been stitched up by expert hands. His right arm had been wrapped tightly in gauze and strapped into a splint. It was the odd burn mark, though, that caught Bofur's attention. It started at the juncture between his neck and shoulder and spread out in a spindly fern design. It ran up past his neck and across his right cheek.

"Lord Elrond called them 'lightning flowers'," Nori explained. "It sounds a bit girly to me. Apparently it usually happens when lightning hits something . . . or someone." He smirked at that and Bofur turned to look back at his friend. "Apparently it'll be gone in a few days. I think you get a tattoo, though."

"Oh, right," Bofur said in his best joking voice. "To remember the time I was attacked by Orcs when I was sleepin'." His humor fell, lost in the strain of his voice. Nori frowned and straightened up in his chair.

"No one blames you, Bofur," Nori said.

"I could've been killed," Bofur said sadly. "We all could've been killed. What if my bein' unconscious had been the difference between life and death."

"Then I'm glad you don't sleep that long more often," Nori snorted, and Bofur couldn't help but chuckle. The two friends fell into a comfortable silence during which Nori began to examine a comb in feigned interest. Something flickered in Bofur's mind and he frowned.

"Where's -?" he started, Nori finishing for him.

"Bilbo? Probably off playing with the Elves again." Bofur's eyebrows rose. "Yeah, he does that. Gandalf says it's good for his mental state but I'm not buying it. I think the Elves are giving him sweets or something."

"Nori," Bofur laughed. He would have continued had it not been for his cousin's familiar whistling and clapping. Leaning forward, Bofur tried to look out the window. "What's Bif doing?" Nori glanced over his shoulder then rolled his eyes.

"Bifur's been doing that since the day we arrived here," he muttered, tossing the comb aside. "Whenever someone's trying to find Bilbo he just stops where he is and starts whistling like Bilbo's a dog. You know what the sick thing is? Bilbo actually listens. He comes running and Bifur pats him on the head."

"He what?" Bofur asked in disbelief. "I thought he was done with that phase when we left Combe."

"So did the rest of us," Nori said. "But I think he started doing that because the first time he shouted 'Bilbo!'," At this Nori did a terrible imitation of Bifur's guttural shout. "Bilbo wouldn't come out of his room for a couple hours. I guess they came to an understanding."

"Some understandin'," Bofur laughed.

O.o.O

Bilbo enjoyed the Elves' company. Even at the age of two-thousand-eight hundred and eleven Elrohir and Elladan asked him to play games. They dragged him from his room early in the morning to join them in a round of tag before breakfast, hide-and-seek after lunch, and capture the flag before sunset. Later he met Estel, aged ten, who played sword games with him. At first Bilbo had missed the looks of hurt and anger on the Dwarves' faces. He hadn't even noticed they had woken up until Kili and Fili joined in a game of capture the flag with the Elvish twins.

It was true, Bilbo loved the Elves. They treated him kindly, always helping him when he was in need of something. Every morning they greeted him warmly and commented on how nice he looked. They willingly sat down with him and told him stories of their planets and moons. They listened intently as he recited histories of the Shire system and even recounted entire family trees to the listening Elf.

Bilbo loved the Elves. But sometimes they were too much with their grace and wisdom and he wanted nothing more than to be among the simple folk of the Dwarves, something the crew of _the Arkenstone_ learned the hard way.

o

"_You can't stop him from visiting with the Elves," Dori reminded his younger brother for the fifth time that day. Nori just grumbled at him and continued to pace around the room. Lord Elrond had given the conscious Dwarves a place to relax in during the evening, a place to call their own during their visit._

"_The laddie is probably fine," Balin told Nori soothingly. "After all, Gandalf did say their healing goes further than just physical wounds."_

"_But why couldn't we heal him?" Nori argued. "What can the Elves do that we can't? We're his friends."_

"_The lad saw his friends and guards die before him," Balin said._

"_Hobbits are a gentle folk," Dori added. "Death of that kind is frightening to them."_

"_Mental trauma such as that is difficult to heal," Oin said from his corner with Gloin. "I have seen Bilbo playing with that wee laddie in the halls, and he does seem to be happier."_

"_Does that mean he's going to stay?" Ori asked worriedly, picking at his knitted gloves. "I like having him on board. He makes things interesting."_

"_Oh I'm sure Bilbo would love to stay," Nori growled, his pacing steps had turned into stomping. "And then he'll return to the Shire system and forget all about us."_

"_Now, laddie," Balin said sternly. "You are forgetting what Gandalf said. We need Bilbo in order to reclaim the Lonely Mountain."_

"_We need a burglar," Ori whispered._

"_Whatever you want to call him," Nori snapped at the other Dwarves. "He won't want to do it. You saw him on the ship, he wasn't even listening when Gandalf was talking." Balin sighed hard through his nose and massaged his temples._

"_You are not listening to us, laddie," he said._

_The doors burst open as Fili and Kili sauntered into the room, their chests heaving from exhaustion. Together they fell into chairs at a small table. Nori frowned as they laughed about something, fingers flying in their secret language._

"_What's got you two laughing?" he demanded. Kili spared a glance to him before pulling a double-take and falling out of the chair._

"_Mahal, Nori," he said, his voice muffled by the floor. "When did you get so terrifying?"_

"_It's like a shooting star fell from the sky and hit the wrong patch of earth," Fili snorted out. Nori's scowl increased and the two brothers looked between each other nervously._

"_Where've you been?" he repeated._

"_We were playing with Bilbo and Estel," Kili said._

"_Yeah, capture the flag," Fili added. "Bilbo and Me against Kili and Estel."_

"_Estel's pretty good for a little kid," Kili commented. "I bet he could be king someday."_

"_Where's Bilbo now?" Nori demanded. "Why didn't you bring him back here after the game?" Kili and Fili looked to each other once more before turning to Nori._

"_Some of the Elves pulled Bilbo away to take him down to the library," Fili said._

"_Say, when did you get so defensive about Bilbo?" Kili asked. "You never acted this way on the ship." Nori had opened his mouth to tell the young Dwarf to buzz off when there came a knock at the door. Balin was the one to answer it, revealing Bilbo on the other side._

"_So you are down here then," Bilbo said. "Good, I thought for a moment I had come to the wrong room."_

"_Not at all, come in, laddie," Balin said, closing the door after Bilbo. "There's no need for you to knock."_

"_I just didn't want to interrupt anything," Bilbo said timidly. He looked around the room at the gathered Dwarves. "I heard raised voices."_

"_It was nothing," Nori said stiffly. He missed the hurt look on Bilbo's face as he turned away from his friend._

"_We were just having a rather loud discussion," Balin told Bilbo gently. "It's nothing to be worried about. Now what can we do for you?"_

"_I, well, I was wondering if you would be willing to teach me a bit about your culture," Bilbo said, scratching the back of his head. "I mean, I've heard so much about the Elves it got me thinking I know next to nothing about Dwarves." Nori's ears perked up at that and he turned back around._

"_You want to hear about Dwarves?" he repeated. At Bilbo's nod he grinned. "Why didn't you say so before? We could have taught you more than those pointy-eared fellows are." Balin urged Bilbo toward a seat by the window with a hand on the Hobbit's back. Nori fell into a chair beside him and propped his heels on the windowsill. "Right, what do you want to know?"_

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Alright, so lightning flowers are actually a real thing. Their proper name is the 'Lichtenberg Figure', but lightning flowers is a nickname for them. They come when an organism is struck by lightning and their blood vessels rupture, or so scientists think._

_I realize Groin didn't actually die until late in the Third of Fourth Age, but for the sake of my story I had him die during the battle of Azanulbizar. Please don't kill me!_

_Also, don't go sticking your arms into moving engines! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	16. Friends and Foes

Disclaimer: _I-I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Hey, everyone. Sorry I didn't update for over a week. I'm sure you're all thinking I just abandoned this story. I can promise you I did not!_

_Reasons Why Pollux Vanished From the Face of the Planet_

"_Beware the Ides of October, when the time is nigh the bullets will fly." We got a threat for a shooting at our college and it freaked me out for the entire week._

_WRITER'S BLOCK! And it's all thanks to Castor for breaking me out of it. _**Only because I can't wait to read the next three stories.** _Shut up, you!_

_Procrastination on projects._

_Procrastination on studying for exams I had on Monday and Wednesday (pretty sure I failed them anyway)_

_Sorry, everyone_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Friends and Foes<strong>

"And so I told him I could do it," Estel said breathlessly as he and Bilbo climbed the stairs. Bilbo nodded pleasantly, encouraging the young boy to continue. "Except he said I couldn't and then he dared me to do it."

"Uh oh," Bilbo said, chuckling. Estel beamed at his reaction. Clearly Bilbo knew how to react to Estel's conversations better than anyone else did. "Did you do the dare?"

"Duh, of course," Estel said. "I can't just back down from a dare, can I?"

"Of course not," Bilbo agreed. "When I was your age I got several dares." He didn't notice Estel had stopped walking until the boy stood several yards behind him. Stopping, Bilbo turned to frown back at Estel. "Is something wrong, Estel?" The boy hopped once like he had been electrocuted then raced to Bilbo's side.

"You were my age?" Estel asked in shock. Bilbo stared at his disbelieving face for a moment before he broke out into laughter. "Hey, don't laugh at me!"

"I-I'm not laughing at you," Bilbo said through is laughter. "Sorry, I just remember having the same discussion with my younger cousins." Straightening up, he wiped away a tear. "We're all born, Estel, and we grow up. I'm fifty now."

"Fifty!"

"But I used to be eight years old too," Bilbo said, as though Estel hadn't spoken. Estel frowned at him and crossed his arms.

"I'm nine," the boy said indignantly. "But I'll be ten next year."

"Oh my," Bilbo said. "Ten? I didn't realize you were so old. Your curls make you look a bit younger." Estel looked a bit dubious at that before he tugged at his curls worriedly. Bilbo laughed and clapped him on the shoulders. "I was only joking, Estel, you look ten years old. Don't worry too much about. Go on with your story. You never said what the dare was for." Estel seemed hesitant to continue but trekked on, staring at his curling hair the entire time.

"Elladan bet I couldn't do it," he said. "So he dared me to when I said I could. So I ate an entire jar of worms." Bilbo's mouth fell open at that and Estel beamed with pride. "Elrohir and Elladan were so shocked they did all my chores for a week."

"Did Lord Elrond ever find out?" Bilbo asked weakly.

"Yeah," Estel said, nodding. "After I threw up on his shoes." Bilbo shut his mouth slowly and swallowed hard. Estel continued to beam at him, clearly awaiting his reaction. When Bilbo didn't say anything he began to look worried. "What kind of dares did you get?"

"Oh, um, how far we could sneak into someone's garden before they caught us," Bilbo said, thinking back to his childhood. "And, uh, how many mushrooms we could eat before the local farmer caught us." Estel's nose wrinkled.

"That's not much of a dare," he said.

"Well," Bilbo said as he leaned down to whisper conspiratorially. "It is when the farmer sets his dogs on you." Estel's eyes widened at that and Bilbo nodded. "Oh yes, and beats you off with a stick."

"Wow," Estel said in awe. Bilbo had just begun to smile smugly when a sharp clear whistle broke through the air followed by whistling. It took Bilbo only a few seconds to recognize Bifur's call. The injured Dwarf had been doing it for three days ever since he'd terrified Bilbo with his shout. Head whipping around, Bilbo tried to locate the source of the sound.

"Do you have to go?" Estel whined to Bilbo. "Nobody listens to me like you do."

"I'm sorry, Estel," Bilbo said earnestly. "But my friends need to see me and it'd be rude to keep them waiting. It was fun talking to you."

Giving Estel one more pat on the head, he whirled around and raced back down the stairs they had just climbed. His feet carried him out of the building and through the gardens to the other side. Bifur stopped whistling and clapping the moment Bilbo came into sight. The Dwarf grinned, patting Bilbo on the head when the Hobbit stopped before him.

"H-Hello, Bifur," Bilbo gasped out as he clutched at the stich in his side. Bifur spoke something to him and gestured to his head. When Bilbo frowned at him he did it again, this time miming pulling a hat onto his head. Bilbo brightened up instantly.

"Bofur's awake?" he asked eagerly. Bifur nodded and pointed behind himself. "Thank you, Bifur," Bilbo said before he darted past the Dwarf. He hurried around the corner and down the hall. Bofur's angry curses carried down the hall followed by Nori's laughter. Peeking through the door, Bilbo gaped at what he saw. Nori had Bofur pinned underneath him, his knees pressing down on Bofur's shoulders. No matter how hard Bofur struggled the star-haired Dwarf sat strong.

"I'm not doin' it," Bofur growled at Nori who cackled.

"You're just saying that!"

"I am not! I'm not doin' it, no matter how much ya beg me."

"Nori!" Bilbo's voice caused the two Dwarves to turn to him. Bofur grinned weakly while Nori frowned in a pout. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get Bofur to accept my offer," Nori said, not moving from his position on Bofur's chest. "He keeps saying no."

"I said no the first time," Bofur told his friend. "It was no the seventy-fifth time, and it's still no."

"What are you even talking about?" Bilbo asked in confusion. Stepping into the room, he shut the door behind him. Nori still didn't move from Bofur's chest even though the other Dwarf shoved at him.

"Nori made me an offer the first time he saw me," Bofur said through a strained voice. "He said mph!" Nori slapped a hand over Bofur's mouth before the Dwarf could finish.

"Don't you dare tell him," Nori hissed. "He doesn't need to know. Yowch!" He jerked his hand back, clutching at it. "You bit me!"

"Then don't put yer hand over my mouth."

"You don't even know where it's been."

"Don't say stuff like that!"

"Why not?"

"It makes me nervous."

"Really?" Nori asked devilishly. Leaning down, he whispered in Bofur's ear. A red blush worked its way up Bofur's cheeks until it had reached his forehead. Nori howled with laughter and shock when his friend threw him backward. He landed with a hard _thump_ on the floor. Bilbo could only shake his head at his friends' antics.

"Ya need help," Bofur told Nori seriously before he turned to Bilbo. "Hey, Bilbo, what brings ya in here?"

"Bifur called for me," Bilbo said. Bofur grinned at and Nori's howling laughter continued. "He told me you were awake."

"Is he still mimin' things?" Bofur asked, and Bilbo nodded. "Well, that's better than what he was doin' on Archet." Nori – who had been calming down during their conversation – fell right back into another fit of laughter.

"What happened on Archet?" Bilbo asked over Nori's howls.

"He shouted Khuzdul at everyone and expected them to understand him," Bofur said. When Nori didn't immediately calm down, he threw a pillow at his friend. "Would ya shut up?" Nori rolled over onto his back, linking his fingers behind his head.

"Why?" the sly Dwarf said. "Are you getting annoyed?" Another pillow landed on his face.

"More than ya can start ta understand." Nori snorted and shoved the pillow off his face before he picked himself up off the floor. Bilbo moved slowly to settle himself in a chair at Bofur's bedside, Nori falling into one on the other side.

"Has Bifur gotten any better since . . ." Bilbo asked unsurely. He never had actually heard what had happened to the injured Dwarf. Bofur and Nori looked to each other before Nori tilted his chair back and Bofur cleared his throat.

"He was out huntin'," Bofur said, and Bilbo blinked in confusion.

"Sorry?"

"Bif was out hunting'," Bofur repeated. "He and his friends were huntin' some wild board for Durin's Day. They were ambushed by Orcs. Bif was the only one who survived." Bilbo gaped at him, at a loss for words. Before he could find anything to say, Bofur look at him sternly. "And don't ya dare say yer sorry. I hear that too much. Bif's not dead, he's just a little confused."

"You mean a lot," Nori muttered under his breath, yelping when a comb hit him on his head. "Stop that!"

"Then shut yer mouth," Bofur snapped back before turning to Bilbo. "Ta answer yer questions: aye, he's gotten better. He used ta attack anything that moved toward him. He can only speak Khuzdul, though. And sometimes he doesn't really understand what's goin' on around him."

"If he can speak Khuzdul," Bilbo wondered aloud. "Then why can't I understand him?" He pointed at the translators in his ears. "I can understand the Elves' Sindarin well enough thanks to these, but I've never been able to understand Bifur." Bofur frowned and scratched his chair, trying to find an answer.

"Bif's Khuzdul isn't perfect," he eventually said. "He used ta be impossible understand, even fer me. It took years of practice ta get him ta speak properly again. Yer translators might just not be able to understand what he's sayin'."

"I was hoping I would be able to understand him before I left," Bilbo sighed despairingly. When neither Nori nor Bofur spoke, he turned to see their uneasy expressions. "What?"

"Didn't Gandalf tell ya?" Bofur asked.

"Tell me what?"

"Trust the wizard," Nori muttered. "He goes and does this. Of course. Because nothing can ever be easy."

"What are you even talking about?" Bilbo demanded.

"What do ya remember from the night of the attack?" Bofur asked Bilbo gently. Bilbo frowned and thought back.

"There was the sound," Bilbo said, and Nori nodded with a strange seriousness.

"The orcs' ship."

"But Gandalf had given Thorin a map and a key," Bilbo continued. Bofur nodded him on eagerly. "Someone said you needed to sneak past a dragon. That's when I started to hear the noise."

"Right," Nori said slowly, propping his feet on Bofur's bed. "Gandalf and Thorin want you to sneak into Smaug's lair and find the Arkenstone." This time Bofur leaned forward to grab a leg of Nori's chair and tipped it completely over. The Dwarf fell to the floor with an undignified screech. Bilbo gaped at them both before he finally found his voice.

"He _what_?"

O.o.O

Thorin didn't know which annoyed him more about the wizard: his secrecy or the way Gandalf could pop up anywhere he wanted to. If the wizard was surprised to find himself faced with Orcrist – as Lord Elrond had so kindly told Thorin – he didn't show it. Lowering the sword, Thorin rested the tip on the path of the gardens. Gandalf watched him with a twinkle in his eye.

"Good afternoon to you to," Gandalf said to Thorin who snorted. "I was hoping I would find you out here."

"You have been searching for me too much lately," Thorin said in his deep voice. Gandalf's eyebrows raised at that. "What do you want this time?"

"I wish to speak about Bilbo," Gandalf said.

"I already told you," Thorin said, sheathing his sword. "I will not take that Halfling to Erebor to find the Arkenstone. It is too dangerous." Turning, he made his way deeper into the gardens. Gandalf's presence followed him; and for a brief moment he wondered if it was possible to slay a wizard and not be charged for murder.

"It is not up for discussion," Gandalf said in a dangerous voice. "What choice does Bilbo have but to join you on this quest?"

"He can return home," Thorin said without looking back at Gandalf. "That is more than any of us could say." A hand landed on his shoulder and Gandalf spun him around to face him.

"You are wrong," Gandalf said. Thorin opened his mouth to retort but the wizard continued. "Have you ever heard of the Barrow Downs?" Frowning, Thorin shook his head. "I thought not. The Barrow Downs is a small planet, more of a moon really, a few miles off of Buckland. It once belonged to great kings of Men but was abandoned many years ago. The Government uses it now as an insane asylum for the Hobbits." Thorin frowned at that.

"The Government is protecting the Halflings, though," he said. "Why would they need an insane asylum?"

"For those who oppose them," Gandalf said. "Or know better than the Government teaches them. Each year the Government continues to stretch their grip over the Shire System. I have tried on multiple accounts to stop them but it has grown difficult."

"What are you saying?" Thorin asked.

"If Bilbo returns to the Shire system," Gandalf said hesitantly. "Then he will be sent to the Barrow Downs where he will die a slow death."

"Then he may remain here," Thorin said after a pause. "Lord Elrond can protect him from the Government." Gandalf's expression shifted and Thorin frowned. "The Elf already suggested it?"

"Yes," Gandalf admitted. "He is set on Bilbo remaining here while you continue on your quest. Part of it Bilbo's mental health, the other is for Bilbo's protection."

"It will be safer here," Thorin agreed. "Why are you so intent on Bilbo joining us on this quest?"

"You need a burglar, one who does not smell of a Dwarf. Bilbo would be perfect for you."

"The Halfling is terrified," Thorin argued. "He would be more willing to run from the dragon than go into its lair."

"As so many would," Gandalf said before leaning in to speak to Thorin in a soft voice. "Thorin, this quest will be for more than simply a planet. If you succeed in this quest than you will be saving more than one race." Straightening up, he spoke in a more commanding tone. "You _will_ be taking Bilbo Baggins with you and you will like it." Thorin could do nothing as the wizard stormed past him. He gaped at a willow tree for several seconds before Gandalf's words finally processed.

_More than one race could be saved._

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_You know what? I'm not even sure that title fits with this chapter. Whatever, I'm too tired. Sorry for the short chapter, I'll update tomorrow. I just felt I needed to update something before I went to bed. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	17. Lessons and Leaving

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Thanks so much for returning so quickly! It was great to see you reading my story again. Sorry for being gone for so long again. _**The Fellowship of the Ring . . . Into Space. **_Shut up! _**The Two Towers . . . Into Space. **_Shut. Up! _**The Return of the King . . . **_SHUT! _**Into Space. **_UP!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Lessons and Leaving<strong>

Gandalf supposed he should have known better. Thorin – being a Dwarf – was stubborn by nature. There was no way the wizard would leave the conversation without explaining himself.

"Gandalf!" Thorin called after the wizard. Gandalf chose to ignore him as he moved through the shade of the trees. "Tharkun!" The Dwarvish name caused Gandalf to pause and turn, watching as Thorin hurried toward him. The Dwarf's face had flushed with irritation and he huffed angrily.

"I thought we were finished with our discussion," Gandalf said mildly. Thorin's eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps you were," the Dwarf said in a dangerous tone. "But I was not. I want answers. What did you mean: save more than one race?"

"I meant what I said," Gandalf said, a twinkling in his eye. "And I said what I meant. You will find I'm honest one hundred percent."

"This is no time for your riddles!" Thorin snapped at the wizard. "I want a straight answer from you and now." Gandalf opened his mouth to reply when a furious shout rang through the garden.

"GANDALF!"

"Oh dear," was all Gandalf managed to say before a rock struck a tree beside him with a _thunk_.

"What was that?" Thorin asked, yelping when Gandalf shoved him behind a tree. Another rock struck the tree, just barely missing Thorin's hand. "What is 'oh dear'? Are we being attacked?"

"To answer your questions," Gandalf said worriedly, wincing as another rock struck the tree. "_That_ is a very angry Hobbit. _That_ should never be angered unless you value your life. And yes, _that _is attacking us."

"GANDLAF, YOU COME OUT HERE RGHT NOW!"

"That is the Hobbit?" Thorin asked in disbelief. Peeking around the tree, he managed to catch a glimpse of a very angry Hobbit before a rock flew toward his head. Thorin jerked back just in time before it struck him.

"Hobbits have remarkably good aim," Gandalf told Thorin. "Normally they are slow to anger, though they can be quick when they want to be. Given projectiles, a properly angry Hobbit is a force to be reckoned with." Another rock struck the tree, though it sounded as though Bilbo had stopped advancing. Thorin stared at Gandalf as his disbelief grew.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"What does the Hobbit have to be angry at you about?" Thorin asked. "Besides getting it captured by smugglers."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT TO ME!"

"_That_ was not my fault," Gandalf reminded the Dwarf. "And as for why he would be angry with me . . . I have no idea."

"A DRAGON!" Gandalf and Thorin stared at each other for a moment before Gandalf's lips twitched in a smile.

"Who told him?" Thorin growled.

"Perhaps one of your crew," Gandalf suggested. Thorin glared at him before yelping as a well-aimed rock bounced off at tree behind him and struck him on the leg. "This is hopeless," Gandalf sighed. "Hiding here will only end in Bilbo's wrath increasing until one of us is unconscious." Thorin's murderous glare suggested clearly who he thought should be the one to suffer such a fate. "I believe you are correct, Thorin, it is time for the truth. Gather your crew in the Khazad room, I will speak with Bilbo."

"You are going to tell me what you meant by your words?" Thorin asked the wizard just another rock narrowly missed him.

"DRATTED WIZARD!"

"I am," Gandalf said quickly. "I believe you all need to hear this. Now go!" Steeling himself, Thorin darted out from behind the tree and disappeared through the bushes followed by several rocks. Gandalf sighed to himself before he stepped out from a behind a tree. A rock flew at his head and he deflected it with a quick spell.

"I should have said no," Bilbo growled as he lobbed another rock at Gandalf's head. Gandalf deflected it easily. "I should have known better than to go to the Government for you."

"My dear fellow," Gandalf said, knocking another rock aside. "I understand you are angry – "do you?" Bilbo demanded – but you are clearly overreacting."

"I don't think I'm overreacting," Bilbo said as he tossed his last rock up and down in the air. "You want me to trade riddles with a _dragon_?"

"It is for much more than a dragon," Gandalf said. His eyes followed the rock warily. "I have told Thorin to gather his crew in the Khazad room. If you will kindly accompany me you will learn the truth of this whole sad sorry tale." Bilbo's eyes narrowed at him suspiciously but the rock was tucked away into his pocket. "There's a good, fellow," Gandalf chortled, not missing the way Bilbo growled at him. "Now let us go join our friends." Placing a guiding hand on Bilbo's shoulder, he made his way back through the gardens.

O.o.O

Thorin counted the heads in the Khazad Room – as the Dwarves had named the room Lord Elrond had given them – as more Dwarves filed in. One-two-and three were Dori, Nori, and Ori. Four-five- and six were Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Seven and eight were Oin and Gloin. Nine and ten were Balin and Dwalin. Eleven and twelve were Fili and Kili. And he, Thorin Oakenshield Durin, made thirteen. Nodding to himself, Thorin seated himself in a chair beside Balin.

"Did Gandalf say what he wanted to talk about?" Balin asked Thorin. Every other Dwarf in the room had asked their captain that very same question. Thorin had only been able to tell them that Gandalf was going to tell them the truth. His answer had done little to assuage his crew.

Thorin's eyes roved over the room as he watched his crew interact. Bombur and Bifur had shoved their brother and cousin into a chair to re-braid his hair, the Dwarf's hat in his lap. Dori fussed over his brothers far more than he usually did. He hadn't quite gotten over the Orcs attack yet. Gloin and Oin spoke in low voices in the corner while Fili, Kili, and Dwalin laughed loudly about some joke Kili had made.

All chatter stopped when Gandalf and Bilbo entered the room. Bilbo stood in the doorway fuming for several seconds until Bofur invited him to sit in the chair beside him. Gandalf pulled himself up a chair and sat down, waiting patiently for everyone to settle down.

"Why are we here?" Dori finally asked when no one else spoke. "Thorin said you were going to tell us the truth." Gandalf's eyes trailed over the Dwarves before he nodded sadly.

"Yes, I believe before you leave for this quest you all have the right to know," the wizard said. He turned to Bilbo who glowered at him. "Bilbo, how did the Hobbits find the Shire System?" The question caused the Hobbit's glower to fall to a confused frown.

"The Shire System is our home," Bilbo said. "We have lived there since the very beginning." Gandalf nodded and turned to Balin.

"Balin, how did the Hobbits find the Shire System?" he asked. Bilbo opened his mouth to argue but a meaningful eye from the wizard stopped him. Balin frowned at the question.

"The Hobbits are native to the Shire System" Balin said. "The Government declared it a sanctuary after they accidentally polluted the planets' natural resources."

"You are both wrong," Gandalf said. Bofur stopped carding his fingers through Bilbo's hair and Dwalin quirked an eyebrow. "Those are lies fed to your races by the Government."

"Then what's the truth?" Gloin growled out.

"I was getting to that. But to begin, I must tell you first of the three races of Hobbits: the Harfoots, the Fallohides, and the Stoors."

"Those sound familiar," Dori said. "I believe you mentioned them once to me in passing on Staddle."

"You are correct, Master Dori," Gandalf said. Shifting in his seat, he continued to speak. "The Harfoots were native to the Misty Mountains of the Khazad System of the Dwarves. They were smaller than their distant relatives and preferred to live underground. They and the local Dwarves were on friendly terms." Thorin frowned, trying in vain to think back to the history of the Khazad System.

"But Harfoots don't appear in our history," Ori piped up. Gandalf nodded in agreement.

"Yes, the Government erased every mention of the race of Harfoots from you," he said. "The Stoors were native the Gondor System of the Numenor and, later, the Men. They were heavier in build than either the Fallohide or the Harfoots and could grow bears. Like the Harfoots, they got along with their native neighbors."

"Then the Fallohides," Ori said. "We're friends with . . ."

"Elves," Thorin spat out. Gandalf sighed outwardly.

"Yes," the wizard admitted. "The Fallohides were native to the same System as the Elves, crossing over with their allies many centuries ago. They were a pale folk and well-learned in many topics."

"That is all very interesting," Dori said, eyeing Bilbo in confusion. "But our dear Hobbit here doesn't show any of the qualities you are talking about."

"And that is where I was heading with my explanation," Gandalf said. "I believe you are all aware of how the Men came to live in this universe, but for Bilbo's sake I will retell the history." Turning to the confused Hobbit, Gandalf spoke quickly. "By the twenty-second century the Men had used up the resources of their planet they called Earth. They launched a shuttle into space in search of a new home. The shuttle was found by Elves wandering through the Solar System and they agreed to help the Men. The Men were moved to a nearby system – the Rohan System – and eventually they built their own ships to explore further. Throughout the next few years they found the Khazad, Gondor, and Shire Systems. The Men called the races of these Systems together in a senate that would later form the Government of the Free Peoples.

"There were nine representatives for the Men, three for the Elves, and seven for the Dwarves. Sauron – an assistant to one of the Men – grew hungry for power and corrupted the representatives until the nine Men obeyed him. Three of the Dwarves joined him while the other four returned to the Khazad System. The Elves left the Government and returned to their own planets."

"What does this have ta do with Hobbits?" Bofur asked, and Bifur shushed him.

"Sauron saw the three races of the Hobbits," Gandalf said sadly. "He did not see unique races as you might but the perfect people to use as slaves." Ori gasped and Nori said 'no!' "I am afraid that is just what Sauron. He sent his soldiers to find every Harfoot, Stoor, and Fallohide in the Systems and had them brought to his own. There they lived in terrible conditions and their numbers dwindled dangerously low." The Dwarves found themselves at a loss for words. Bilbo had gone sheet white, his shoulder gripped firmly by Bofur. "It was not until Sauron had been defeated in the first war by Isildur that the Hobbits were found. With nothing else to do the Government abandoned them in the Shire System and left them to find their own way."

"That's terrible," Fili said softly. Kili's pained expression had turned to Bilbo who looked ready to faint.

"I convinced the Government to declare the Act of Restoration in 4914 and took over the Shire System. For many years the Government has left me alone to tend to the Hobbit races that had begun to mingle. Their histories were lost through the families and they were happy to live in peace. Recently, though, the Government has been trying to regain the Shire System for their own uses."

"To enslave the Hobbits?" Thorin growled out, and Gandalf nodded.

"I am afraid that might be there goal," Gandalf said. "In 4984 a pack of Orcs managed to cross into the System. It took several Rangers and myself to stop the Orcs from moving any further than the North Farthing planet." Gandalf's eyes flicked to Bilbo who had begun to slowly rock back and forth. "Bilbo was twenty-one at the time." Bofur made a strangled sound and pulled his whimpering friend into a hug.

"Ya poor thing," Bofur cooed into Bilbo's ear, petting the Hobbit's hair. Bilbo continued to whimper to himself, his hands clapped over his ears. Turning away from the Hobbit, Thorin spoke to Gandalf in a tense voice.

"What does this have to do with reclaiming Erebor?" he asked. Gandalf watched him for several long seconds before he answered.

"Erebor was once the capital of the Khazad System," the wizard said carefully. "If you reclaim it and return to your rightful throne than the Government will lose some of its control."

"You want to overthrow the Government?" Thorin asked in awe, and Gandalf nodded. "You want us to reclaim Erebor in order to save the Shire system?" Gandalf nodded again. Thorin swallowed hard, thinking through his decisions.

"Thorin," Balin a strained voice. Thorin turned to see his old friend wore a pained expression. "Please." Thorin almost missed the whispered word. Thorin turned to look at Dwalin who nodded.

"Very well," Thorin said. "We will reclaim Erebor and help you to overthrow the Government."

"Excellent."

"But we are not taking the Hobbit."

"Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf shouted, drawing himself up from his chair. The lights in the room flickered and shadows drew up around the wizard. "We have argued enough. You _will_ take Bilbo Baggins to Erebor with you. He has every right to represent his own race on your journey."

"He does not know how to fight," Thorin argued.

"I have given him a sword," Gandalf said. "Teach him to use it. In the meantime, I will remind you that Smaug knows the scent of Dwarf. Bilbo would be able to sneak into Erebor, steal the Arkenstone, and sneak back out without being noticed. That would allow you to gather up the remaining Dwarf armies and make your move." Thorin scowled at Gandalf for several seconds before he finally growled.

"Fine."

"But what about Bilbo?" Bofur asked, his arms full of a quaking Hobbit. "Doesn't he get a decision?"

"Bilbo would be safe aboard your ship than anywhere else," Gandalf said, sitting back down in his chair. The lights flickered back to life and the shadows withdrew. "Besides, I will be accompanying you on this quest."

"You will?" Kili asked eagerly.

"As far the Greenwood," Gandalf said. "Then I must turn aside and visit Dol Guldur. I have already met with the White Council while you were all resting." Bofur's face fell and he continued to whisper to Bilbo. "I believe you should allow Bilbo to relax during the rest of your stay here. It would do him well to heal as much as he can." Thorin nodded before the wizard stood and left the room, shutting the door behind himself.

O.o.O

The pen clattered to the floor and Oin raised his eyebrows at the agent's expression. A gaping fish would have been the perfect comparison.

"You'll catch flies that way, laddie," Oin said gently. The Man's mouth shut slowly and he swallowed hard. "I take it you were as blind to the history as we were?" Agent Smith nodded, a dazed look in his eyes. "I am not all that surprised."

"What happened next?" Agent Smith asked softly.

"Well, we remained on Rivendell for several weeks," Oin said. "Lord Elrond managed to read the map for us and we learned we needed to reach Erebor by Durin's Day. We wanted to Bilbo to heal as much as he could before we left, but one we had no choice . . ."

O.o.O

The message came when Elrohir and Elladan had taken Bilbo to the other side of the planet. Thorin was watching Kili and Fili play with Estel when Lord Elrond hurried into the compound. A quick bark at Estel in Sindarin sent the lad running past Lord Elrond and into the building. Kili pouted at the loss of his playmate.

"You need to leave," Lord Elrond told Thorin quickly. "Immediately." Thorin frowned and prepared to retort but the Elf's next words sent ice through his veins. "The Government has requested to do an inspection of Rivendell."

"I thought the Government didn't have any power here," Fili said, Kili nodding eagerly beside him.

"There are some things even I cannot stop," Lord Elrond said. "Your ship is repaired and has been prepared for takeoff. You will be able to leave the moment your crew is ready."

"But what about Bilbo?" Kili asked. "He's on the other side of the planet."

"I will send a message to my sons," Lord Elrond said. "And they will bring the Halfling to you in the atmosphere."

"How do we know you are not going to keep Bilbo here?" Thorin asked the Elf warily. Lord Elrond turned to him with a steely expression.

"You must trust me on this, Thorin Oakenshield," he said. "Now go!"

Kili and Fili dashed from the courtyard, grabbing Thorin's arm on the way out. The three Dwarves ran through the halls of the Last Homely House, down stairs, and through the door into the hanger. Balin stood at the base of the ramp, listing off Dwarves as they boarded the ship.

"Fili, Kili, Thorin," he said. Fili and Kili raced past him to get to the cockpit in time. Thorin paused ready to ask the question Balin was already answering. "We are only waiting for Bifur and my brother." The Dwarves in question appeared just as he had finished speaking. Dwalin clapped his brother on the shoulder and nodded to Thorin. Bifur had already raced for the engine room where Bofur waited for him.

"What about Bilbo?" Balin asked Thorin. "Lord Elrond's sons took him to the other side of the planet."

"They are meeting us in the atmosphere with him," Thorin said.

"And Gandalf?" Dwalin asked.

"Has a pod for our ship," Thorin said. "I have a feeling he will need to remain here to speak with the Government. He will be able to catch up to us whenever possible."

"Very well," Balin said. "Then we are all here." Thorin nodded and the three Dwarves boarded the ship, Dwalin smashing the button down to close the cargo bay's ramp.

By the time Thorin had reached the cockpit the ship had already taken off. Fili clutched at the controls, his eyes glued on the sky before him. Kili hovered over monitors to watch for any oncoming ships.

"So far so good," Kili said. Fili spared him a glance before he increased the speed for takeoff. Thorin had a last glimpse of Lord Elrond standing on the tarmac below. The Elf raised a hand in farewell and Thorin turned away. Silence hung in the cockpit for several minutes until they had reached the atmosphere.

"Stop here," Thorin ordered, grabbing Fili's shoulder. Fili obeyed by pulling back on the controls. The ship slowed to a stop.

"How do we know if they'll come?" Kili asked in a soft voice. Thorin didn't answer as he watched the sky for any sign of an oncoming ship. Several minutes passed and he was prepared to tell Fili to continue when Kili exclaimed.

"There's a ship coming our way," he said, looking up from a monitor. "The screen reads a _Starlight_."

"Bilbo," Fili sighed, and Thorin hung his head in relief. The oncoming ship hailed them and Thorin granted them permission to lock on to the ship. Elladan and Fili communicated during the process until the _Starlight_ had successfully locked onto them. Time passed during which Thorin assumed Bilbo had moved onto their ship and then the _Starlight_ was bidding them farewell and they were leaving the atmosphere of Rivendell behind them.

They were off on an adventure.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I'm so glad they're back on the ship! And yeah, I updated late again today. Sorry about that. I got back from work and I wasn't even sure if I would update today. But then I ate dinner and read some fanfiction until I was inspired again. And for the record, I'm seriously considering a sequel. Castor's been helping me with the plans. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	18. Offers and Opportunities

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit! And I'm seriously glad that I don't. Tolkien is an amazing author._

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Once again I grace with a chapter at 11:05 at night! I really need to stop with these late night chapters, they mess around with my spelling. Anyway . . . um, angst, loss of story-telling, and by no means trying to hint at a relationship in here!_

_Enjoy! Please review! (Seriously, please review. I'm desperate here. Do you love it? Do you hate it? I'd like to know your opinion.)_

* * *

><p><strong>Offers and Opportunities<strong>

Some said the sun rose red on that fateful Christmas morning for the luck of the nation who survived the Execution, others said it was for those who did not. Only one thing was for certain to everyone who had fought the battle: he had made his promise-

_WRONG STORY! Sorry about that! Here's the right one!_

O.o.O

Ori blamed himself for a lot of things that went wrong in his family's life. He blamed himself for his mother leaving when he was four; for Dori losing his job; for Dori having to leave Gandalf's program early when he fell sick; for Nori being caged at home as he paced like a wild animal. Ori blamed himself for all of these and more. His entire life he'd wanted nothing more than to be like his brother. He wanted to be sturdy like Dori and clever like Nori. Nori always said it was Dori holding their younger brother back, but Dori always said Nori was a bad influence for Ori. Ori couldn't help but disagree with both of them. Dori just wanted what was best for his brothers and Nori was just being himself. That was why when Nori had joined the crew of the _Arkenstone_ Ori had been eager to go along too, ecstatic when Dori joined them.

The door to the cell Ori had been locked in opened and the Dwarf looked up from his handcuffed wrists. A guard had handcuffed him a few hours previously for the psychologist Ori had been forced to speak with. He had been rather confused when the guard hadn't released him but now it was clear. The agent who had been hearing their story had finally come to his room.

The agent looked frazzled, worn from hours of talking with Bifur and Oin. His suit's coat and tie had been abandoned. The first few buttons of his shirt had been undone to reveal the white undershirt underneath. A predominant bruise graced the Man's chin and his hair had been mussed from carding fingers.

"Good evening, Ori," Agent Smith said in a tense voice.

"Is it evening?" Ori asked timidly, and the agent nodded. "Sorry, I kind of lose track of time in here."

"That's understandable," Agent Smith said. Moving further into the room, he settled himself on the stool that had been left behind by the psychologist. "So, you are the navigator of the ship?" Ori nodded at that and the agent continued. "That's a strange occupation considering your brothers are both ambassadors for the ship."

"I studied cartography in school," Ori said before he could stop himself. Flushing lightly, he looked down at his hands and muttered an apology.

"No, it's fine," Agent Smith said. "Our goal is to learn more about you and the rest of the crew. You say you studied cartography." Ori nodded slowly. "Where did you get the chance to study such a subject? I don't think they offer that in the Blue Mountains school."

"Oh no, they don't," Ori said, brightening up. "Dori brought home a lot of books after he finished his studies on Rivendell. I got interested after looking through all the books and Dori asked Gandalf if he could find someone to teach me."

"Study cartography?" Agent Smith clarified, and Ori nodded again enthusiastically. "Was it Gandalf who taught you?"

"No," Ori said. "Gandalf was busy with the Shire System. He sent one of the Dunadain to teach me. I don't really remember his name, but he was really nice and patient."

"A Dunadain? I suppose that makes sense, seeing as they travel through the Systems at will. How long did you study cartography by the Dunadain?"

"Five years," Ori said. "And then he had to return to the Shire System. That was the same year Nori joined Thorin's crew."

"And then you joined?" Agent Smith asked.

"Yes," Ori said. "Nori knew I'd always wanted to leave the Blue Mountains so he convinced Thorin to let me join his crew as the navigator. I was sixty-seven at the time."

"And now you're seventy-two," Agent Smith said, nodding to himself. "Ori, do you realize you will be sent to a juvenile detention center when we're done here?" Ori nodded slowly, his heart sinking. "You and the rest of your crew are in a very situation here."

"I could continue the story," Ori blurted before the agent could continue speaking. The Man quirked an eyebrow and Ori flushed brightly. "S-Sorry, I-I just meant that I could, um . . . Sorry."

"No, that's fine," Agent Smith said. "This story is proving more and more enlightening by the hour."

"Where did Oin leave off?" Ori asked.

"You had just left Rivendell."

"Right, so we were heading straight to the Misty Mountains. That's about a nine day flight from Rivendell."

"That's quite a bit of time," Agent Smith said, frowning. "Durin's Day would have already passed by then."

"Oh no," Ori said with a shake of his head. "The Khazad System has always been several months behind the rest of the Systems, so we still had time before Durin's Day. Anyway, Gandalf sent word before the end of the first day that he would be meeting up with us soon. The Government hadn't heard anything about us . . ."

O.o.O

_The sharp howl rang through the forest. Gasping, Bilbo darted through the frost-covered trees as fast as his feet would carry him. The sounds of wolf paws and cold Orc laughter followed him, teasing him, taunting him. A stray tear fell from Bilbo's eye and he sobbed in terror. His mother and father had warned him about wandering too far in the forest during the Fell Winter. He should have listened. He should have stayed indoors where it was warm and safe from the wolves and Orcs. But he didn't and here he was now, being hunted down._

_The edge of the forest had just come into sight when Bilbo tripped over a root. Sprawling in the snow, Bilbo sputtered. The sounds of wolf paws drew nearer and nearer with every second he wasted on the ground. The Hobbit barely had a moment to think before strong hands grabbed the back of his shirt. He cried out and struggled wildly but they dragged him through the trees and away from the wolves. The hands didn't bother allowing Bilbo to stand up, dragging him bodily through the snow. Bilbo's heart sank as the footsteps moved beside him. An Orc had caught him, he was going to die._

_The footsteps faltered at his heart-wrenching sob. They dropped Bilbo rudely in the snow, the Hobbit sputtering some more, and suddenly they were patting at his clothes._

"_Bilbo," a voice whispered. "It's alright, we have you Bilbo." Coughing out snow, Bilbo looked up through tear-filled eyes as new footsteps approached him. In the waning crescent moon he could just barely make out a star-shaped head and another head with funny flaps for ears._

"_Yer safe, Bilbo," a new voice said. "We've got ta."_

_A safe feeling spread through Bilbo. These strangers would protect him. They would keep the Wolves from getting him. He wasn't sure how, but he just knew. The illusion shattered when a wolf howled directly behind the strangers. They turned with cries of terror and fell in opposite directions as a wolf leapt over them. The massive creature skidded into a hard-landing on the snow and darted at Bilbo. The Hobbit barley had a chance to scream as strong jaws grabbed at his hips. They dragged him back away from the strangers who shouted and reached for him. Bilbo scrabbled at the snow helplessly, wishing for someone to save him._

"_Bilbo!"_

"_Let go of him!"_

_The wolf snarled and snapped at the strangers before returning its strong grip to Bilbo who screamed in pain. He beat back at the wolf's snout but it did little stop the creature from dragging him back. The strangers threw rocks and sticks at the creature. The wolf gave a new sound Bilbo hadn't heard it make yet – a surprised yip – and suddenly the ground had disappeared behind him. Screeching, Bilbo scrabbled at the frozen ground for purchase, his lower half dangling in the hole._

"_Bilbo!" one of the strangers yelled. They ran to him and grabbed at his hands but they slipped against the snow. Bilbo had one moment to see a shocked Nori losing his grip before he fell down into the abyss. Fingers brushed against his, they tugged helplessly at his clothes as he fell down, down, down. Knowing what would happen next, Bilbo curled up and screamed. He screamed in terror until his heart burst with the effort and he knew he would reach the bottom._

Bilbo woke up screaming, his fist flying directly at Dwalin's face.

O.o.O

Dwalin's eyes snapped open. He listened intently to the heavy sound of his brother's snores and the creaking of the ship. Nothing in the room should have woken him at this later hour but something had. Sitting up, Dwalin looked around himself at the dark room. Nothing had been moved while the Elves had repaired it or taken away, but something was off. Something didn't sit right with the Dwarf.

Throwing his legs over the bed, Dwalin stood. He moved to lean his ear over Balin's mouth but no strange sounds came from his older brother who – as usual – slept like a rock. Nothing was unusual about that, but something just wasn't right. He could _feel _it. Deciding it wasn't in the room, Dwalin left and shut the door quietly behind him. The hall of the sleeping quarters were silent but for the soft snores behind closed doors. Several lamps hung from the ceiling, swaying in time with the ship's rumbling. Dwalin had turned to return to his room when he heard it. Pausing, the Dwarf listened. A muffled shriek echoed from the room beside Dori, Nori, and Ori's. It was the Hobbit.

Steeling himself, Dwalin moved across the hall to open the door. Bilbo was asleep on his bed, entangled in the sheets and thrashing against some unseen monster. Dwalin would have left the Hobbit to fight his own nightmares if Bilbo hadn't tossed in that moment. An arm fell into Dwalin's view, an arm littered with a familiar red color. Terror filling his heart, Dwalin darted to the Hobbit's bed. The moment his hands touched the Hobbit Bilbo's eyes flew open and he screamed something awful, throwing a fist at Dwalin's face. Dwalin barely had a moment to grab it before Bilbo was struggling in his grip.

"Calm down, laddie," Dwalin growled. He leapt up onto the bed and sat on Bilbo's hips, trying to keep the Hobbit down. Bilbo screeched again and threw his weight just enough to topple them off the bed. Using his military training, Dwalin rolled them over before Bilbo could recover and pinned down the Hobbit with his weight. Bilbo gasped underneath him, his eyes rolling in their sockets.

"It's alright," Dwalin said in his gravelly voice. The wrists in his grip trembled slightly and Bilbo shuddered with every breath. Slowly, the Hobbit calmed down enough to be coherent. He blinked up at Dwalin in momentary confusion before his cheeks flushed.

"D-Dwalin," Bilbo squeaked out, his voice hoarse from his screaming. Dwalin didn't move from his position on the Hobbit as he spoke.

"Aye."

"Wh-What are you doing?" Bilbo asked.

"You were havin' a nightmare," Dwalin told him. "I tried to wake you up but you attacked me." The flush grew past Bilbo's cheeks and up to his ears.

"I-I'm sorry!" Bilbo said quickly. "I didn't mean to attack you."

"I know you didn't, laddie," Dwalin said. The two fell into an uncomfortable silence before Bilbo wriggled slightly.

"Could you maybe, um, get off me please?" he asked. Dwalin watched him for a moment before he nodded and stood slowly, moving to turn the room's lights on. Bilbo blinked in the sudden brightness, raising a hand to shield his eyes. Dwalin's eyes narrowed at the sight of his arms littered with bite-marks; bite-marks that matched Bilbo's teeth perfectly.

"Are they the same ones?" Dwalin asked knowingly, recognizing the signs easily. Bilbo blinked up at him in confusion and lowered his arms.

"I don't kn-."

"Your nightmares," Dwalin said. Moving to crouch before Bilbo, he took the Hobbit's arm in his hands and pushed the sleeve of his shirt up. The bite-marks traveled up Bilbo's arms, only stopping at his elbows. "You've been bitin' yourself to stop from screamin'."

"I-I . . ."Bilbo said helplessly. Under Dwalin's stern gaze he withered. "Yes, they're different sometimes but they always end the same way."

"How so?" Dwalin asked. He saw Bilbo's hesitation, saw the Hobbit curling in on himself inside, and understood immediately. Bilbo didn't have amnesia. He was faking it. In a situation like this Dwalin would have rather gotten Balin or Dori but both were sleeping. It left him to the task of cracking the Hobbit's façade. Sitting down opposite, Bilbo, he opened his palms.

"Look," Dwalin said. Obeying, Bilbo leaned forward slowly to see the tattoos etched into Dwalin's palms. He frowned at the unrecognizable Dwarvish ruins. "They say _hulhaj_ and the other says _gajut_."

"What do they mean?" Bilbo asked curiously.

Dwalin shook his left hand. "_Hulhaj_ means shame," he said then shook his right hand. "_Gajut_ means forgive." Bilbo frowned and sat back, confusion in his eyes. Dwalin licked his lips before continuing. He had never told anyone else about his history before but for Balin and the crew. "I was part of the Khazad military. I fought in Azanulbizar and saw many good Dwarves die there. Halfway through my military career I led a platoon of Dwarves into a trap . . . I was the only one to survive." Bilbo's eyes widened in shock. "I was discharged honorably for having fought on Moria."

"What happened?" Bilbo asked in a soft voice.

"I got low," Dwalin continued, his eyes watching Bilbo carefully for what the Hobbit would hear next. "I blamed myself for what happened to those Dwarves but I never told Balin about my feelings. I let it fester inside me until I couldn't take anymore. The only way to escape was to throw myself down a mine shaft." Bilbo's hands flew to his mouth.

"You didn't?"

"I did," Dwalin said with a serious nod. "I woke up in the hospital with Balin towering over me looking furious and upset. He told me what had happened. The mine I had jumped into hadn't been empty. Nori had been trying to do some shady business down there when he heard me fall. After he saw what had happened he ran for help. Oin did the surgery that saved my life that day. Balin hasn't forgive me for it yet."

"That's horrible," Bilbo whispered. Dwalin looked down at his hands, staring at the tattoos forlornly.

"Nori attacked me the moment I was free from both the hospital and Balin's careful watch," Dwalin said. "He and his cronies threw a bag over my head and dragged me to a tattoo parlor. They pinned me down while the artist did his work." He waved his left hand. "Nori let me go after that, saying I had to be reminded of what I did so I would get help."

"So he made you get a tattoo that said shame?" Bilbo asked in disbelief.

"Aye, and it worked too. I told Balin everything that had happened and he helped me get over it. A few weeks after Oin had declared me mentally healthy Nori dragged me back to the tattoo parlor for the other tattoo." At his he rubbed his thumb against his right palm. "So I would always remember the time I brought shame down upon me but chose to forgive myself." Silence fell between the Dwarf and the Hobbit. Dwalin's eyes snapped up to Bilbo at the Hobbit's nervous shift.

"I know you remember," Dwalin said carefully. "That's what's hauntin' you, isn't it? You remember what happened on that ship and you don't can't forgive yourself for it." Bilbo hesitated before he nodded slowly. "You can't keep quiet about it. You have to tell someone or you'll just end up hurting yourself." He waited patiently for Bilbo to speak but no words came. The Hobbit looked ready to bolt from the room. Dwalin had just given up for a hopeless case when Bilbo suddenly launched himself at the Dwarf sobbing.

"I-It was horrible!" Bilbo sobbed into Dwalin's chest. "H-How could someone d-do that?"

.o.

_Bilbo tore down the hallway, his feet pounding on the metal. Gunshots rang behind him and screams echoed through the ship. Undecipherable words were thrown back and forth in a strange clicking sound Bilbo had never heard before. The Hobbit didn't have any time to wonder about as he threw himself down a set of stairs, through a hall, and into an engine room. The familiar whirling device had slowed in its parked gear._

_Darting behind the engine, Bilbo ducked under a bench. His right leg throbbed in time with his pule. He couldn't remember what exactly had happened aside from strange men boarding the ship. One of the Dunadain had opened fire and suddenly the room had been filled with bullets. What had happened next had been a blur. One moment Bilbo had been in the cargo bay and the next he had been running for his life down the hall._

_The strange clicking language drew near and Bilbo gasped, drawing his legs up. A tall man with gangly limbs entered the engine room. His goggle-covered eyes scanned the room suspiciously before he clicked over his shoulder. Another man entered and Bilbo's heart clenched. The second man pointed down at the floor, clicking to his friend, and the two made their way around the engine. They were following his trail, Bilbo realized, the trail left behind by the injury in his leg._

_Bilbo didn't have time to fight back as cold hands grabbed at him. A cackling laughter filled his ears as he was dragged bodily out of the engine room. No matter how hard he thrashed or how loud he screamed the strange men continued to laugh. Their footsteps didn't falter as they ascended the stairs, Bilbo's legs knocking against each step. He gritted his teeth against the pain in his right leg and screamed again. The men – they reminded Bilbo of spiders – carried him through the cargo bay, past bodies of his friends, and onto their own ship._

_The men threw Bilbo to the cold floor, cackling and clicking to each other. One hissed and pointed to his right leg and the others screeched angrily. Hands grabbed at Bilbo, pinning him down. He watched in terror as one of the strange men lowered forceps to his injured leg. He screamed in pain and thrashed, held still by the men's hands. Finally the bullet was tossed aside and the hands drew back. One of the men cocked his gun and fired it at Bilbo. Instead of a bullet, though, a dart struck the Hobbit in the shoulder. Bilbo's body reacted faster than he could have thought possible. His muscles relaxed and he found himself helpless to men who changed his clothes for a pair of beige pants and carried him to a silver crate. There they lowered him in and shut the lid._

_It was the worst moment of Bilbo's life. He lay in a crate nearly too short for him, trapped in a paralyzed body. A hiss sounded throughout the crate and freezing air hit Bilbo's bare skin. He was helpless as the crystals invaded his lungs and every breath became harder and harder. Until, at last, black dots swarmed over Bilbo's vision and his eyes slipped closed to a long, dreamless sleep._

.o.

The story broke Dwalin's heart. Bilbo had been abducted from a ship where he had watched his friends die. Locked away on a dangerous ship, he had awoken on another to find himself among a crew where he was not welcome. A crew who should have been helping him heal, not pushing him away.

Before he knew what he was doing, Dwalin drew the sobbing Bilbo into his arms. He held the Hobbit against his chest for several minutes until Bilbo had calmed down enough to small hiccups. Drawing back, Dwalin looked down at the Hobbit's blotched face.

"Are you alright?" Dwalin asked. Bilbo nodded at first, paused for a moment, and then shook his head. "I didn't think so," Dwalin muttered, pulling Bilbo back into a hug. He waited until the Hobbit had stopped trembling to ease him back to the floor. Bilbo wiped at his nose with his sleeve, sniffling pitifully.

"I-I'm sorry," the Hobbit croaked out.

"For what?" Dwalin asked gruffly. Bilbo winced at that and he softened his tone. "There's nothin' you should be sorry about. I'm the one who should be apologizin'. You've been sufferin' this entire time and I've been too blind to see it. I'm sorry."

"I-It's not your f-fault," Bilbo hiccupped.

"You're wrong," Dwalin argued. "It is my fault. It's my job to watch over every member of this crew and protect them. That should have included you from the start." Bilbo looked up at him with watery eyes and Dwalin placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Bilbo, I promise I can do better."

"Thank you," Bilbo whispered, burrowing back into Dwalin's chest. The Dwarf could only smile and pull him back in for another hug.

"Do you always dream of the men?" Dwalin asked. He felt Bilbo nod and heard his voice muffled by Dwalin's shirt.

"This time was different."

"How so?" Dwalin asked. Bilbo's trembling returned and he tightened his grip protectively.

"I dreamed of the Fell Winter," Bilbo squeaked out. Dwalin frowned in confusion. He remembered Gandalf talking about the Fell Winter but it still didn't make any sense to him. "I-I was stupid," Bilbo said, fresh tears in his voice. He pulled back so Dwalin could hear him better.

"What happened?" Dwalin asked cautiously. His heart sank as tears ran down Bilbo's cheeks.

"I-I went out to get wood," Bilbo said in a hushed voice. "B-But I went too far into the forest and lost my way. The wolves found me before I could escape." At this, Bilbo shifted out of Dwalin's grip. The Dwarf watched helplessly as the Hobbit pulled down one corner of his pants' hem. A jagged scar ran along Bilbo's hip and around to the other side.

"They caught you," Dwalin breathed. Bilbo nodded slowly before collapsing into tears again. Dwalin pulled him back down into their hug. "How did survive?"

"G-Gandalf came," Bilbo sobbed out. "H-He stopped the wolves and saved my life." Dwalin pressed his face against the top of Bilbo's head and exhaled hard.

"I'm sorry, Bilbo," he whispered. "You shouldn't have gone through that." Bilbo sobbed harder into Dwalin's shirt. Dwalin let him do it, stroking the Hobbit's arms soothingly. His eyes fell on Bilbo's arms and he frowned. He didn't like the looks of those bite-marks.

"Come on," Dwalin said, standing and pulling Bilbo to his feet. Bilbo sniffled once more and wiped his nose on his sleeve. Dwalin led him out of the Hobbit's bedroom and into the one he shared with Balin, flicking the lights on.

"W-Wait," Bilbo said. Dwalin turned to him with a raised eyebrow. Bilbo pointed at the snoring Balin and Dwalin snorted.

"My brother sleeps like a rock," Dwalin said. "The ship could blow to pieces and he wouldn't wake up." Bilbo didn't look altogether convinced but he moved to sit on Dwalin's bed as the dwarf instructed him to. Going to his dresser, Dwalin grabbed the first-aid kit he had stashed away in there. He returned to Bilbo and began to dress the Hobbit's wounds.

"What about the rest of your tattoos?" Bilbo asked curiously after a moment or two. Dwalin spared him a glance from smearing antibiotic on the bite-marks before he answered.

"They're a history of our people," Dwalin said. "They speak of Erebor and Azanulbizar."

"Oh," Bilbo said before silence fell between them. "I don't think I could get a tattoo." Dwalin looked up at him in confusion and he flushed. "I-I just think it would hurt too much."

"It's not too bad," Dwalin said, moving on to wrap Bilbo's arms in gauze. "There's a bit of pain in the beginning but you get over it eventually." Bilbo made a noise of disagreement and Dwalin couldn't stop the smirk from growing on his face. He finished quickly with Bilbo's left arm and the Hobbit folded his hands in his lap.

"Thank you, Master Dwalin," he said softly, not looking up from his lap. Dwalin ruffled his hair as he would a dwarfling's. "I-I'll just be heading back to bed now." Bilbo hopped off the bed only to find himself lifted onto it once more.

"Lay down," Dwalin ordered. "You'll have nightmares if you sleep alone again." Bilbo's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to argue but Dwalin gave him his best stern glare. It worked like a charm, all the fight fleeing Bilbo in seconds. The Hobbit scooted back to lay on the bed. Dwalin flicked the light switch off before climbing into bed. Wrapping his arms around the Hobbit, he drew Bilbo close.

"Good night, Master Dwalin," Bilbo whispered.

"Good night, Bilbo," Dwalin said. He waited until Bilbo's breathing had evened out before he allowed himself to slip into sleep.

And in the morning if Balin was surprised to find Dwalin and Bilbo sleeping in the same bed, he didn't say anything of it.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think? (I'd really like to know! PM me if the review thingy isn't working.)_

_Sorry if the Khuzdul was incorrect, I had to find it online. Dwalin's history still matches up. He first denied the offer of becoming a general and was later honorably discharged for his bad move. I'm too tired to say anything more. Oh, right, before I forget. I started typing out an excerpt from Forward in Fear (a future story Castor and I are working on for Hetalia) and was too lazy to delete it. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	19. Medics and Moments

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Hey, everyone._

_I have nothing to say except that it is 12:34, I am tired, and I have class tomorrow._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Medics and Moments<strong>

When Dwalin awoke the next morning he left Bilbo to sleep in. The Hobbit deserved a bit of extra sleep, he felt, especially after his rough beginning of the night. The dark circles under Bilbo's eyes spoke for themselves in his peaceful sleep. Dwalin would give him an extra ten minutes of sleep, maybe twenty, before he allowed anyone to wake Bilbo up.

Balin and Thorin were the only other crew members awake when Dwalin entered the dining area. His captain grunted a good morning, only on his first cup of coffee, and Balin nodded a greeting over a bowl of oatmeal. Dwalin grabbed a mug and filled it with the strong brew of coffee before falling into the seat beside Balin. The first brew was always strong, nearly twice as strong as any normal brew, to give the Dwarves a swift kick in the morning. None of the three Dwarves spoke for several minutes as they sipped their coffee.

"I noticed the Hobbit's room was empty this morning," Thorin said in his deep morning voice. Dwalin grunted noncommittally. "And Balin told me he was in your bed." The words hung in the air for several seconds before Dwalin let his head fall on the table with a nasty _thunk_.

"It's too early for this," he grumbled out.

"What was the Hobbit doing in your bed?" Thorin asked. Dwalin glared at Balin out of the side. His brother had the grace to look ashamed over the rim of his coffee cup.

"I was merely commenting on the strangeness of it," Balin said in his defense once he had lowered the coffee mug. Sitting back in his chair, Dwalin crossed his arms. "You never liked Bilbo in the beginning."

"So what was he doing in your bed?" Thorin asked.

"What was who doin' in whose bed?" Bofur asked as he descended the stairs. A glaring Thorin was given a playful shrug and Dwalin a pat on the head. Several fingers had been broken in previous years due to overzealous morning greetings, but the incidents had done nothing to stop Bofur.

"That is none of your business," Thorin said stiffly. Bofur looked up at him from the open coffee carafe. The engineer and captain locked eyes for several seconds before Bofur split into a grin.

"I'll hear about it eventually," he said pointedly. "It's a small ship." Sauntering to a chair at the head of the table, he fell into it and propped his heels on another. The coffee carafe remained clutched in his hands, half-full of the strong brew. "So who's sleepin' with who?" Bofur asked as he took a swig from the carafe.

"Bilbo was in Dwalin's bed when I awoke this morning," Balin said. Bofur choked on the coffee, the drink spewing across the table. Swearing, Thorin grabbed a towel to wipe off his arm. Dwalin glared at his older brother who smiled sheepishly at him.

"What was Bilbo doin' in yer bed?" Bofur asked Dwalin in shock. "Ya don't even like him."

"He had a nightmare last night," Dwalin began, but Bofur cut him off there.

"Nightmares?" the engineer repeated, swishing the carafe nervously. "I thought the Elves fixed that."

"The Elves could only help him so much," Balin said. "Lord Elrond did warn Gandalf that if we removed Bilbo their work could be undone. It could take several months with the Elves for Bilbo to heal."

"Speakin' of Gandalf," Dwalin stated.

"Oi," Bofur said with a pointed finger. "Don't change the subject."

"Bilbo had a nightmare," Dwalin said. "I woke him up, we talked, and then I had him sleep in my bed so he wouldn't have another one."

"What did you two talk about?" Balin asked curiously. Dwalin didn't answer, his eyes falling on his palms. Balin followed his gaze and his mouth snapped shut.

"Nothing else happened?" Thorin asked Dwalin who shook his head. "Very well, have Oin give the Hobbit another sedative tonight to help him sleep." He stood, prepared to leave when Dwalin spoke up.

"Thorin." The captain paused, his hand on the back of his chair. "I don't think givin' Bilbo a sedative is goin' ta help him sleep."

"Then what do you suggest?" Thorin asked.

Dwalin hesitated before speaking. "I think we should have Oin take a look at him," he said. "Get a physical and mental examination."

"That would be a good idea," Balin agreed. "It would be no good to send an injured Hobbit into a dragon's lair."

"Now wait just a minute," Bofur said, his feet falling to the floor. "Doesn't Bilbo get a say in this? What if he doesn't want an examination?"

"It does not matter what he wants," Thorin told his engineer stiffly. "Oin has experience dealing with mental unstable patients, he will know how to handle the Hobbit. Dwalin, get him to the medical bay for Oin." Dwalin nodded as Bofur gaped like a fish. Thorin left the room and descended the stairs to the cargo bay, undoubtedly to practice.

"Ya can't just throw Bilbo back inta the sick bay," Bofur said to Balin and Dwalin. "He hates bein' in there."

"I am sorry, laddie," Balin said. "But this is important. It would be better to find any problems now before they could cause any trouble." Bofur looked between him and his brother helplessly before he threw his hands up. The carafe was abandoned on the table and Bofur stormed down the sleeping quarters. A few moments he later he returned with an exasperated expression on his face.

"He is missing?" Balin guessed. Bofur nodded and he sighed. "Might as well search the ship. Dwalin, you search the cargo bay. Bofur and I will check these two floors.

"Alright," Dwalin said as he stood. Hopefully Thorin wouldn't ask too many questions while he searched the pods. He heard Bofur's last words as he descended the stairs.

"Maybe we need ta get him a bell."

O.o.O

"Bif, get up!" Bofur's voice carried down through the hatch. Bifur rolled over in his bed with a groan and a rude hand gesture. "Bif, up!"

"_I'm sleeping!_" Bifur shouted back up in rough Khuzdul. He heard Bofur's curse and something clanged down through the hatch.

"I need yer help," Bofur said.

"_If you broke the engine again I'm not fixing it_," Bifur warned his cousin. Rolling over, he saw the monkey wrench that had obviously been thrown down. His room, unlike Bofur's, remained organized with everything in its proper place. Even his prized boar spear had a special place on the wall above his bed.

"I didn't break the engine," Bofur grumbled. "I've never broken the engine before." Bifur narrowed his eyes. He disagreed with that. "Bilbo's gone missin' again. We're searchin' the ship."

"_Dammit_," Bifur swore. Rolling out of bed, he shoved his feet into the boots and laced them up. "_Is he in the cargo bay again?"_ he asked.

"We don't know," Bofur said. "But I need ya ta check the engine room while I check the cockpit."

"_Fine_," Bifur said. "_As long as he doesn't fall out of the rafters again._" He heard Bofur grumble in agreement before his cousin's footsteps faded away. Clambering up the ladder, Bifur made his way into the engine room.

The engine spun lazily in its cradle. The Elves had done a neat job of replacing each broken part, even touching up the older pieces. Bifur hadn't heard the ship purr this quietly since he had first boarded her. The bright lights of the engine room swung lightly in sync with the ship's rumbling. Glancing around the tool shelf against the wall, Bifur found the tight space empty. It was too small anyway, even for a Hobbit.

Bifur walked around the engine and behind the cradle. Bofur had granted it as his cousin's own space the first day on the ship. According to him, Bifur needed a place where he could relax and trust that no one would annoy him. Bifur had installed a workbench along the wall to hold tools when he was working on that side and books when needed. Most of the space underneath the workbench had been filled with crates and boxes but for one spall area at the end of the bench. Bifur smiled at the sight of two maroon coattails poking out from under the workbench.

Walking down the length of the workbench, Bifur crouched to be level with the Hobbit. Bilbo had his back turned to the Dwarf, his hands clapped over his ears. The translators he normally wore had been placed on the floor beside Bifur's right boot. Bifur gave a silent thank-you that he didn't accidentally step on them. Bofur would have been horrified. Reaching out, Bifur tapped the Hobbit on the shoulder. Bilbo reacted almost comically: squealing in surprise and leaping, his head hitting the bottom of the workbench hard. Bifur winced sympathetically as a string of words left Bilbo's lips. He didn't know what they meant, but they couldn't have been nice. Bilbo turned to look at him and his eyes widened.

"_Hello_," Bifur said, wiggling his fingers. Bilbo continued to stare at him in shock. Slowly his mouth closed and he swallowed hard. Scooping up the translators, Bifur offered them out to the Hobbit who pulled a face and shook his head. Bifur nudged his hand forward insistently. Bilbo reluctantly accepted them and slipped them into his ears. Bifur settled himself on the floor beside the Hobbit, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees. The Hobbit and Dwarf sat in an uncomfortable silence before Bifur finally cocked his head.

"Look, I'm sorry," Bilbo finally said. "I-I know this is usually your place, but I needed someplace to hide." _No,_ Bifur thought to himself. _You need a place to call your own._ He didn't bother speaking, though. He knew the Hobbit wouldn't be able to understand him. Instead he tapped Bilbo on the nose to get his attention and cocked his head, pulling a confused face.

"They want to send me back to the medical bay," Bilbo explained. "I don't want to go back in there." Bifur nodded in understanding. It had taken both Bombur and Bofur to drag him to the hospital for the first few months of therapy. He still shuddered when Oin treated him.

"I don't want to go," Bilbo muttered, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "I won't go back in there." Bifur's eyes fell on Bilbo's bandage-wrapped arms and he frowned. Tapping Bilbo's arm gently, he cocked his head once more. Bilbo smiled at him sadly.

"You need a sign for 'why'," he told Bifur. A twinkle in his eye, Bifur made the Iglishmek sign for the word. Bilbo blinked once and Bifur did it again. Realization dawned in the Hobbit's eyes. He repeated the move with a whispered, "why?" Bifur nodded, making the sign once more before tapping Bilbo's arm. Bilbo glanced down at the bandages and blushed.

"I-I had a nightmare last night," he said, glancing up at Bifur. Sensing a chance, the Dwarf made the sign for 'nightmare' and Bilbo's smile grew slightly. "I guess I was biting my arms to stop myself from screaming. Dwalin found me and he . . . he let me sleep with him for the rest of the night."

'Why?' Bifur signed. Bilbo looked up at him and he thought it through before continuing. He mimed taking his pule and getting a shot before pointing at Bilbo and shaking his head. 'Why, no?' he signed.

"Why don't I want to go see Oin?" Bilbo asked, and Bifur nodded enthusiastically. Bilbo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he continued. "I-I don't like being in that room. It brings back bad memories." Bifur scratched his beard as he thought how to continue. How could he explain to Bilbo it wouldn't be a permanent thing?

"Bif"?" Bofur's voice caused both Bifur and Bilbo to jump in surprise. Bilbo struck his head once more, cursing quietly to himself. He gave Bifur a pleading look before tucking himself back under the bench. Standing slowly, Bifur grabbed a heavy wrench from the workbench and walked back around the engine. Bofur stopped at the sight of his armed and dangerous cousin, his hands raising peacefully.

"Heya, Bif," Bofur chuckled nervously. "What are ya doin' with that wrench?" Bifur tapped the wrench against the palm of his hand, watching Bofur intently. "Look, we just want ta help Bilbo."

"_Bilbo doesn't like the medical bay,_" Bifur told his cousin who nodded.

"I told Thorin that already," Bofur said. "But he wouldn't listen. He said Bilbo needs ta be looked at by Oin."

"I'm perfectly fine." Bilbo's voice carried around the whirring engine but he didn't come out of his hiding place. Bofur made to step forward, only stopped by Bifur's hand to his chest.

"_My space_," Bifur growled to his cousin.

"Bif," Bofur started, but Bifur cut him off with another growl.

"_My space_," he repeated. "_You leave me alone when I'm there._"

"But this is Bilbo we're talkin' about," Bofur said. "I just want what's best fer Bilbo. We all do." Bifur stared at his cousin for several seconds. On the one hand he could easily frighten Bofur off with a good roar. On the other hand Bofur could return with Gloin or Dwalin in tow and drag Bilbo off to the medical bay. Giving Bofur the universal 'one-moment' sign, Bifur disappeared back around the engine.

Bilbo poked his head out from under the workbench. He watched as Bifur crouched beside him once more before speaking.

"Is he gone?" Bilbo asked.

"No, I'm still here," Bofur called back.

"_Shut up!_" Bifur shouted over his shoulder. Turning back to Bilbo, he did the one thing he never allowed anyone else to do. He took Bilbo's hand and placed it on the ax embedded in his hand. Bilbo stiffened at first; and when Bifur didn't release his hand he slowly relaxed. Bifur tried to pass on all his feelings of trust through that one touch. His idea worked. Bilbo nodded quietly to himself and crawled out from under the workbench. Bifur released his hand to help the Hobbit to his feet, guiding Bilbo back to Bofur.

"There ya are," Bofur said, brightening up. "We've been lookin' fer ya all over the ship!"

"Have you?" Bilbo asked meekly. Bifur placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as the Hobbit shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"It's just a check-up," Bofur said reassuringly. "Thorin just wants ta make sure yer healthy as an ox before ya go doin' anythin' dangerous."

"_Like falling out of rafters,_" Bifur growled. Bofur nodded in agreement.

"Aye, Bif's right. Falling out of the rafters wasn't a good plan."

"That wasn't my idea!"

"We know," Bofur said, ruffling Bilbo's hair. "We just like teasin' ya. Now come on, Oin's waitin' fer us down in the medical bay." Bilbo followed Bofur slowly, Bifur close behind. They arrived at the medical bay to find Oin preparing several instruments. The medic didn't even notice their arrival until Bofur fiddled with his hearing aids and he turned around.

"Ah, there you are, laddie," Oin said happily. Bifur pressed a hand to Bilbo's back as the Hobbit stepped back slightly. When Bilbo looked up at him he tapped his ax reassuringly, hoping to get the point across. Bilbo nodded slowly and moved to sit on the examination table as Oin requested.

"Don't ya worry about a thing," Bofur told Bilbo happily. "Oin won't have ya in here fer too long and then Nori and I can teach ya how ta play cards."

"I'm afraid this could take a few hours," Oin said. He patted Bilbo comfortingly on the knee. "Thorin wants me to give you a mental examination as well, just to check for any PTSD or the likes."

"A-Alright," Bilbo said meekly.

"Why don't we just start by taking your blood pressure," Oin suggested. He helped Bilbo remove his shirt before wrapping a sphygmomanometer around his upper arm. A stethoscope was pressed against Bilbo's arm as he pumped the sphygmomanometer.

Bifur watched the entire process silently. Oin scribbled notes on a clipboard, muttering to himself. He took Bilbo's heart rate next and then had the Hobbit hop off the table to weight him and take his height.

"Three feet eight inches," Oin commented. He looked at Bilbo. "Is that normal for a Hobbit?"

"The average is about three foot six," Bilbo said with a wry grin. "I'm afraid my weight is a little lower than average, though."

"I'm sure being around the Elves helped with that problem more than we did," Oin commented, turning to write on the clipboard.

"They did try to get me back on my routine meal schedule," Bilbo mused. He blinked at the three confused expressions aimed at him. "We eat about seven meals a day."

"Seven!" Bofur exclaimed.

"Yes," Bilbo said slowly. "First breakfast, second breakfast, tea-time, elevensies, lunch, dinner, and supper . . . and sometimes a snack in between."

"Bless me, why wasn't I born a Hobbit?"

"_Because you would have been fat,_" Bifur growled at his cousin.

"Oi!"

"That's enough, you two," Oin said sternly. "I'll have you leave if you keep acting like this." Bifur snapped his mouth shut instantly and straightened up. Bilbo relaxed slightly from where he had stiffened at Oin's words, not wanting to be left with the healer. He tensed once more, though, when Oin approached him with a small needle.

"What's that for?" Bilbo asked.

"I just need a blood sample," Oin said, patting Bilbo on the knee. "It's nothing to worry too much about." He waited patiently, allowing Bofur to talk animatedly with Bilbo, before he pricked the Hobbit's middle finger. The Hobbit yelped slightly in surprise and sucked his finger, glaring at Oin's back.

"I told you it wasn't a problem," Oin said. Pressing the needle into a small device, he waited for a light to flicker. "And you're AB positive . . . although." The medic frowned, leaning forward to read something on the machine before he shook his head. "Laddie, I'm going to need to draw more blood for a better test."

"Wh-What?" Bilbo asked. Oin turned to him, worry in his eyes.

"I don't like the looks of your blood," Oin said. "I'd like to run some more tests on it so I can know for sure." Bilbo swallowed hard, looking ready to bolt before Bifur stepped forward to place a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. When the Hobbit looked at him Bifur tapped the ax-head and nodded.

"A-Alright," Bilbo said. He allowed Oin to ease him back on the examination table which was propped up for his comfort. Bofur fell into a chair beside him while Bifur remained standing. The process took longer than Bifur had hoped it would. Bilbo pulled faces the entire time Oin fiddled with the needle and blood bag until at last it was finished. Oin tapped a cotton ball over the small puncture and patted Bilbo's wrist.

"Alright, I'll just have you read this chart for me," Oin said, pulling a vision-testing chart from a cupboard. Bilbo read the letters almost perfectly before they were too small for even an Elf to see.

"Is that all?" Bilbo asked as Oin returned the chart to its home.

"Not quite," Oin said. "I just need you to answer a serious of questions and then you can be on your way. I need you two to leave, though." At this he nodded to Bofur and Bifur. Bifur was prepared to argue but Bofur dragged him out, giving a cheery wave to Bilbo as they left.

"We'll be waitin' fer ya, Bilbo," Bofur called. Bilbo smiled nervously and waved back. Bofur didn't stop walking until they were safe on the first level. Only then did he wrench his arm free of Bofur's grasp.

"What's buggin' ya, Bif?" Bofur asked his cousin curiously. "I've never seen ya act this way before."

"_I don't like seeing him nervous,_" Bifur said grumpily. "_It makes me nervous._"

"Makes you think he's going to jump from the rafters again?" Bofur suggested, yelping when Bifur swung at him. "Hey, hey, I'm just sayin'. Bilbo gets a bit jumpy, is all. He doesn't have anywhere on the ship ta call his own except fer his bedroom, and I don't think he likes that very much." Bofur's words rang in Bifur's ears and an idea sprang to mind. Bofur frowned suspiciously at him. "What are ya thinkin', Bif?"

"_Bilbo needs somewhere to call 'safe',_" Bifur told his cousin. "_Somewhere he can go and trust we won't annoy him_."

"That's brilliant!" Bofur crowed, but then his face fell. "But where would that be? Everywhere else on the ship is full. Ori uses the pods fer his work, Fili and Kili have the cockpit, and you have the engine room." Bifur thought through his options before snapping his fingers.

"_The rafters_," he said. Bofur gave him a dubious look. "_You said he was sitting on a platform. Perhaps we could make that safe for him to sit up there._"

"Like a shield?" Bofur asked.

"_Yes_," Bifur said. "_He won't have to wear the translators up there if he doesn't want to and he can take whatever he wants up there._"

"Great thinkin', Bif," Bofur said, clapping his cousin on the shoulder. "We can tell Thorin your idea the next time we see him."

O.o.O

The next time Bofur and Bifur saw Thorin turned out to be when Oin called a meeting for the Dwarves. He sent Bilbo up to the cockpit to keep an eye on the monitors and to stargaze. Thorin had been dubious at first, until Oin had given him a meaningful look. Fili and Kili had given Bilbo a crash course on reading the monitors and how to not touch the controls no matter what, even if they were about to be swallowed by a black hole. Somehow, Thorin didn't think Bilbo bought that part.

The Dwarves sat around the dining table, Oin standing at the head of it. He shifted nervously from foot to foot as Dori smacked Nori's hand away from Gloin's pocket. Thorin caught Oin's eye and he nodded. Oin cleared his throat loudly, catching the attention of every Dwarf in the room.

"Are your hearing aids on?" Kili asked, and Oin ignored him. "Did he forget to turn them on?"

"I can hear you just fine," Oin snapped. Kili's mouth clicked shut and his eyes widened. Oin took a steadying breath before continuing. "I gave Bilbo a full examination today like you wanted, Thorin."

"What did you find?" Thorin asked, crossing his arms.

"He's relatively healthy," Oin said. "A bit underweight, according to Dori, but he doesn't show any signs of malnourishment since he's been on the ship."

"And his mental state?"

"Fractured, to say the least," Oin told Thorin. Bofur shifted uneasily in his chair and Kili held his breath. "He's been severely traumatized by what happened to him. Every answer he gave me points straight to PTSD. The nightmares he's been havin' might not go anywhere anytime soon." Bifur ground his teeth in frustration. How could they help a Hobbit if the problem was all in his head?

"Is there anything we can do?" Fili asked, voicing the thoughts of every Dwarf in the room.

"We can help him through the nightmares," Oin said. "And treat him as one of our own. Hopefully over time he will heal and the nightmares will leave him." He hesitated to continue.

"You found something else?" Thorin asked, his eyes narrowing. Oin nodded slowly.

"Yes, I took a blood sample today to learn his blood type," Oin said. "The machine read the presence of a strange substance in his blood. I took a larger sample and tested that thoroughly after he left . . ."

"And?" Thorin prompted.

"I found traces of medicine in his blood that shouldn't have been there," Oin said. "It's from a drug called _Nonfant_." Nori frowned at that, scratching his beard.

"That's an illegal drug," he said. Every eye turned to him. "Not even the shadiest people sell that."

"What does it do?" Dori asked his brother.

"It's supposed to act as a vaccine against diseases and viruses," Nori said. "But . . . it sterilizes the patient. That's why it was taken off the market." Bofur turned horrified eyes back to Oin.

"Ya don't mean . . ?"

"Aye, the laddie is sterile," Oin said sadly. "As well as coded. After I swabbed his wrist with iodine a small black number appeared on his wrist: 01-02-09-01."

"What does it mean?" Fili asked fearfully. Oin could only shrug.

"I'm not sure," he said. "But I have a feeling it's the work of the Government, as well as the _Nonfant_."

"Sounds like a tag number to me," Nori muttered under his breath, shrugging when everyone looked at him. "What? I'm just saying."

"Well we don't need to hear what you're 'just saying'," Dori snapped back. "It's already bad enough."

"Quiet," Thorin said. He turned to Oin. "Tell Bilbo on your own time, when you deem him mentally stable enough to take the news." Oin nodded slowly and Thorin stood to leave. "Everyone else can return to what you were doing."

"Uh, wait, wait!" Bofur called out as the other Dwarves began to stand from the table. Eleven pairs of eyes turned to him before the Dwarves lowered themselves back into the chairs.

"What is it?" Thorin asked.

"Bif thought of a good idea," Bofur said, grinning at his cousin. "He thought we should give Bilbo a place where he can be on his own and know we won't bother him."

"That does sound like a good idea," Balin agreed, stroking his beard. "The laddie is one Hobbit trapped on a ship with thirteen Dwarves. He is bound to reach the end of his rope before we reach Erebor."

"What did you have in mind?" Thorin asked. Bofur brightened at that.

"The rafters," he said, raising his voice when the other Dwarves began to make their opinions very clear. "No, wait! Would ya listen ta me!" The Dwarves fell quiet again. "I have a force field we can put up on the platform. It's from when ya let Nori put bombs in it when he gets bored." Nori grinned at that. "I put that force field up there and he won't be able ta roll off the platform."

"And what if he falls from the rafters again?" Thorin asked.

"Ya saw the net the Elves hung in there," Bofur said. "That thing is plenty strong to catch a little Hobbit if he falls." He watched Thorin hopefully until his captain conceded with a sigh.

"Alright, is there anything else?"

"Aye," Bofur said. "When Bilbo's up there he's allowed ta take the translators out. That way he won't have to be bothered by us. But," he said, when Thorin opened his mouth to argue. "He has ta put them back in if any of us call his name. And none of us are allowed up there unless he invites us."

"Fine," Thorin said through gritted teeth. "Is that all?" Bofur nodded enthusiastically. "Then you are all dismissed." The Dwarves dispersed from the dining room, heading in different directions as their first day back on the ship dwindled to an end.

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Good night and toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	20. Jumped and Jolted

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N:_ Hey, everyone!_

_Here's a message to all our Hetalia fans who are reading this:_

_Last year we looked Backward in Anger._

**Next year we will look Around in Awareness.**

_**But tonight . . . tonight let's look Forward in Fear.**_

_See you then, my sweets! ;)_

_Alright, for all my Hobbit fans: I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it didn't go too quickly. I thought this would be a good place to end the chapter since I have class in an hour. I'll try to update after class, because I seriously feel like I could._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Jumped and Jolted<strong>

The nightmares continued. Bilbo would wake in the late hours of the night to Dwalin shaking him gently. They would sit in silence for a few minutes before Dwalin would lead Bilbo back to his room and they would go back to sleep. It taxed the Dwarf, though. Bilbo could see that in the dark circles under Dwalin's eyes and the way the Dwarf moved sluggishly around the ship. By the fourth day on the ship Bilbo told Dwalin he could stop. He saw the hesitation in Dwalin's eyes, but with enough prodding the taller Dwarf agreed Bilbo could sleep on his own.

Never before had Bilbo regretted such a decision. The nightmares haunted him that night and he awoke with a silent scream on his lips. His arms had taken a beating from his sub-conscious biting. He would slip from the bed and make his way to the rafters where Bofur had set up a force field on the platform. He would stay there until the early hours of the morning when the Dwarves began to wake up, then he would go in search of Oin who, begrudgingly, would bandage his arms for him.

Bilbo's nightmares were no longer in his head. He was living in one.

The ninth day on the ship brought the crew of the _Arkenstone_ to the Stone Giant belt. Fili had explained the Misty Mountains was not one planet but several that moved in a straight line together. The Stone Giant belt – named for the head-like shapes of the rocks – was a meteorite belt that ran through the a pass in the middle of the Misty Mountains. This was the pass Thorin intended to take.

Bilbo had withdrawn to his platform in the rafters sometime in the middle of the day. He could see Bofur and Nori's worried looks but ignored them. The sight of the Stone Giant belt made him nervous, reluctantly thinking he should have taken Lord Elrond up on his offer to remain behind on Rivendell. At least he would have been safer there. It was too late to regret decisions now, though, and Bilbo wanted nothing more than to be left alone. He was tired of the stubbornness of Dwarves for the day and their pitying looks.

"Bilbo," a guttural voice shouted. Bilbo paused in the action of kicking his heels against the platform. Rough words in Khuzdul were spoken and his name followed again. "Bilbo!" Rolling over, Bilbo peeked over the edge to see Gloin. The Dwarf made a motion to his ears and gave Bilbo a meaningful look. Reluctantly, Bilbo took the translators from his pockets and slipped them into his ears. He waved down at Gloin to let the Dwarf know and Gloin nodded.

"Can I come up?" Gloin called. Bilbo considered the Dwarf's weight dubiously before he nodded.

Fili, Kili, Bofur, Ori, and Nori were light enough to carry themselves through the rafters with ease. They had even started a game they called "Spider in the Net". They would run along the rafters with Bilbo, tossing a ball between them. If anyone found themselves knocked off the rafters and into the strong net below they had to try and get back into the rafters as quickly as they could or they would be grabbed. Dwalin and Bifur had joined in the game as the 'Spiders'. They would crawl onto the net the moment someone fell and try to grab them for, as the Dwarves said, a hungry spider's lunch.

Bilbo could understand those five running through the rafters without a care in the world. But how Gloin managed to haul himself the hooks in the wall and through the rafters, he would never know. Gloin may not have moved as quickly as the younger Dwarves, but he moved with a surety. He moved with his weight in the center, each step resounding heavily through the rafters. Bilbo had to give him points for bravery as Gloin stepped through the barrier and sat down beside him.

"It was kind of Thorin to give you this place," Gloin said once he had settled down. Bilbo made a noise of agreement but didn't say anything. He half expected Gloin to stop there and for them to sit in silence as the other Dwarves often did, but he didn't. "I have a lad of my own, you," Gloin said, and Bilbo looked at him in confusion. "Gimli, he's sixty-two years old."

"Then he's almost an adult," Bilbo said. Gloin nodded at that, leaning back on his hands. "Is that why he isn't on the ship."

"Somewhat," Gloin said. "My wife wanted Gimli to remain behind on the Blue Mountains and learn smithing. She didn't want him getting hurt on our dangerous journeys."

"Don't you miss him?" Bilbo asked.

"Course I do," Gloin said with a chuckle. "Our journeys rarely take us to the Blue Mountains. But I talk to them through the Vein." Bilbo looked at him in confusion and the Dwarf explain. "The Vein, I think the Men call it the Web."

"Like a spider's web?" Bilbo asked, his confusion growing. Gloin laughed again and patted him roughly on the back.

"Not at all," the Dwarf said. "But I think that's where they got the idea. The Web, the Vein, they're both the same thing. Have you ever heard of the internet?"

"Of course," Bilbo said incredulously. "Everyone's heard of that." Gloin gave him a knowing look and he frowned. "Fine, Dori taught me about it yesterday."

"Dori's giving you lessons about the universe, then?" Bilbo nodded at that. "Probably a good idea. Wandering around blind won't get you anywhere but lost."

"I'm already lost," Bilbo said in a soft voice. A hot feeling pricked at his eyes and he averted his gaze from Gloin. Strong arms wrapped around him comfortingly.

"You can't keep them away, laddie," Gloin told the Hobbit. "Those nightmares will keep on coming until they eat you whole."

"That's what Dwalin said," Bilbo said through hot tears. "B-But I'm scared. I keep dreaming that I'm falling and no one will help me."

"It looks like you're already moving blind," Gloin said. Bilbo looked up at him and the Dwarf wiped away his tears. "Every Dwarf on this ship wants to help you. You're part of the crew now, not just some straggler we picked up. And this crew takes care of their own." Bilbo's eyes widened in surprise and Gloin ruffled his hair. "You've been suffering alone long enough, Bilbo Baggins. Why not let us help you through your nightmares." Bilbo had opened his mouth to speak when Fili's voice carried up from below.

"Gloin! Bilbo!" The Dwarf and Hobbit leaned over to see Fili armed with their axes and small sword, Balin had called it a letter opener when he had seen Bilbo's new sword. "We're going into the high pass, Thorin wants everyone armed."

"Alright," Gloin called back down. "We'll be down there in a minute." Fili waved back to show he'd heard him before the weapons were set against the wall. Gloin turned to Bilbo. "Might as well head down now, laddie," he said. Reaching for the remote, Bilbo turned the force field that kept him from falling off. It was the worst mistake he had ever made.

At that very moment the ship lurched sideways and Bilbo found himself tossed along with the movement. He barely managed to grab at a seam in the platform, his fingers screaming in protest. Gloin shouted at him to hold on as a great screeching sound filled the air and the ship was rocked again. Bilbo's fingers slipped from the seam. His eyes widened at the familiar sensation of falling, only stopped by Gloin grabbing his right hand.

"Hang on, Bilbo!" Gloin shouted over the screeching. "I've got you!"

"Gloin," Bilbo whimpered. "What's going on?" His answer came as the rest of the crew swarmed into the cargo bay.

"Goblins!" Dwalin shouted up to Gloin and Bilbo. Bofur's eyes widened at the sight of Bilbo hanging from the platform.

"What are Goblins doing all the way out here?" Gloin shouted back. Bilbo wished the Dwarf would pull him up instead of leaving him dangling like a ragdoll.

"These are the Misty Mountains," Balin said, hefting his sword. "The planets are crawling with them."

"But they never wander this far out," Gloin said. "Not even into the passes."

"There is no time to argue," Thorin barked and the crew fell silent. "They hit our ship with an EMP blast. We are dead in the water until it wears off."

"Are we going to die?" Ori asked quietly. Dori hushed him as Nori ruffled his hair soothingly.

"Where is that wizard when you need him?" Dwalin growled out. "Trust Gandalf to take too long to reach us."

"He will come, brother," Balin said. "Until then we will have to face these Goblins on our own."

"Gloin," Bilbo muttered, his voice lost in the sea of Khuzdul. A dull ache had begun to throb in his shoulder.

"Whatever comes through that door," Thorin began. He never finished his sentence though.

At that very moment the doors of the cargo bay were ripped open. Gloin cursed and Bilbo found himself unceremoniously dropped into the net below. This was nothing like 'Spider in the Net'. Horrible screeches filled the cargo bay below, accompanied by Dwarvish shouts. Metal rang against metal and Bilbo shut his eyes tight. He didn't hear the sounds of scrabbling or feel the net dip underneath a new weight until the hands were on him. Cold, slimy hands grabbed at his arms leg. Laughter rang through his ears as he screeched loudly. Something struck him over the head and everything blurred together. Furious shouts rang through the ship. Dimly he was aware of being pulled backward, the Goblins maneuvering through the net faster than any Dwarf could.

Reaching the edge of the net, the Goblins threw Bilbo down to the level below. The fall was blissfully short but Bilbo still cried out as he hit the metal grating. A heavy body landed next to his, Gloin he was sure. He felt the Dwarf's hands grab at him. Something slipped under his shirt, cold against his chest. His sword, Bilbo realized dimly, as Gloin managed to tighten his belt around his jacket. The sword pressed uncomfortably against his skin in its sheath.

The slimy hands were back. They grabbed Bilbo by the hair and dragged him upward to shove him over the railing. The sensation of falling was stopped by long arms catching him and throwing him to the floor before he was grabbed and shoved forward. He heard Gloin fall behind him, saw the Dwarves in front of him being shoved onto another ship. The guttural Khuzdul and hissing Black Speech stung his ears and he clapped his hands over them, crouching in on himself. Hands grabbed him and he would have screamed, if he hadn't been crushed against the familiar barrel of a chest.

Dwalin wrapped his arms tight around Bilbo, shielding him from the screeching Goblins. The dull pounding grew in Bilbo's head and he was aware of being carried onto a dark ship. Most of the bulbs had blown out or been removed, plunging the room into darkness. Dwalin fell to his knees as he was shoved from behind. Bilbo felt the familiar patting of Dori's hands and heard Nori whispering to him. The words were lost, though, as Bilbo's eyes flickered shut. Goblins. Why did it have to be Goblins?

O.o.O

Bilbo's eyes flickered open and for a moment he thought he had gone blind. Everything around was black and cold. Panic rose in his chest and he prepared to scream when a hand clapped over his mouth. Fingers carded through his hair. Hands pressed comfortingly against his back and hips. He was on his stomach, Bilbo realized, his face pressed into the floor.

Turning his head, he found himself facing Dwalin's back. A look to the other side showed him pressed up against Dori. Nori sat by Bilbo's head, leaning against Dwalin while his feet were propped on Dori's knee. His legs shielded Bilbo from any view above him. Looking down, Bilbo saw Bofur's legs sprawled over his own. Gloin and Balin sat by his feet, completely cutting off any view there. From the outside it looked as though the Dwarves merely sat close together. On the inside, though – Bilbo realized – the Dwarves were shielding him from the eyes of the Goblins.

"It's alright," Dori breathed into his ear. The Dwarves surrounding Bilbo made no move that he had spoken. "We're going to get out of here."

"How?" Bilbo spoke in a bare whisper.

"Trust us," Nori hissed through his teeth. "We've been in worse before." Bilbo burrowed against Dwalin and he felt the massive Dwarf lean back further, reassuring him.

"We're almost there." Dwalin's words rumbled through his back in a soft growl. Bilbo swallowed hard and shut his eyes tight.

"Stay near us, Bilbo," Dori whispered. "We'll get you of here alive."

The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an hour. The Dwarves pressed in on Bilbo as the seconds turned to minutes. Nori bumped his calf against Bilbo's head comfortingly. Dori continued to card his hair. Bofur pressed his legs against Bilbo's in a reassuring manner. Swallowing hard, Bilbo clenched his fist. The hilt of his sword pressed against his stomach but he didn't draw it. He didn't want to bring unnecessary attention to himself and ruin the Dwarves' plan.

Finally the moment came. The Goblins returned to the Dwarves with loud screeches and slapping of feet. They were the ugliest beings Bilbo had ever seen. Their paisley skin was covered with boils and warts, their funny-shaped heads perched on almost no neck. Long fingers grabbed the Dwarves, dragging them from the floor. Bilbo found himself pressed between Dori and Dwalin, Bofur and Nori on either side of him. The Goblins shunted the group along out of the ship and onto a narrow rock passage. More screams echoed around them as new Goblins joined the pack.

Sometime during the violent march Bilbo tripped on a rock. Dori's hands missed him as he fell to the floor. The Goblins shoved Dori on before he could grab for Bilbo and the Dwarf's dismayed cry echoed through the cavern. Bilbo curled into a tight ball on his stomach, praying no one would see him. And they didn't. Boots and slapping feet marched past him. Several long seconds passed before Bilbo found himself alone. The sounds of boots and feet vanished into the distance, leaving him crouching on the floor.

Sitting up, Bilbo looked around himself. He stood on a narrow, stone bridge with no railing. The cavern walls around him were the largest he'd ever seen. They stretched high above, disappearing into the darkness. Ships littered the area around him. Some hung from cords that had been wrapped around them while others had been driven into the walls. It was a graveyard, Bilbo realized, a graveyard for ships the Goblins had attacked.

A terrible screeching sound drew Bilbo's attention from the dead ships and he spun around to see a Goblin charging at him. The long-armed creature swung out, catching Bilbo in the ear. A searing pain ran through Bilbo's ear and he felt something hot and wet run down his neck. The Goblin didn't stop, though, it swung out again. Reaching under his shirt, Bilbo swiftly drew his glowing sword. He had never learned how to use it properly yet, but . . . wait, glowing? Bilbo stared at his sword in disbelief before he swung out to stop the Goblin's flailing arm. The Goblin screeched and struck out again and again, shoving Bilbo back with every step. It lurched forward, wrapping its long arms around Bilbo. One moment they teetered on the edge of the bride and the next they were falling.

Bilbo's mouth fell open in a silent scream at the terrible sensation. He felt the Goblin's hands leave him, the creature flailing in its terror. Bilbo lost his grip on his sword as he tried to grab at something, anything. But the walls seemed to bend away from him and the Goblin's screeches rang through his ears like laughter. The fall lasted for what felt like forever. Bilbo had just given up hope when the impact hit him hard. His body jarred painfully, sharp pain seared through his left calf, his head struck something hard, and darkness swallowed him whole.

O.o.O

Insects were crawling on him. They skittered across his skin and through his bones. Bilbo tried to swat them away but his limbs felt too heavy. His head throbbed in time with his heart, the pain dulled to a certain point. The Dwarves found him, Bilbo thought, and he was back in the medical bay with Oin. Those insects crawling on him were Bofur's medical mites. He would wake up to find Nori grinning down at him. Balin would tell him he was safe. Bofur would crow about how they had escaped the Goblins and found him, taking him back to the ship with a stolen ship from the Goblins.

Feeling reassured, Bilbo opened his eyes. And found himself staring at a dark emptiness. No medical bay lights shone over him. No Dwarves smile down at him. No reassured words were spoken in rough Khuzdul. He was still alone, laying at the bottom of the cavern. Shifting slightly, a pain in Bilbo's left leg caused him to freeze. The rest of his body ached dully but for this singular screaming in his leg. Looking down, Bilbo almost fainted. He didn't know how it happened – by some sick miracle, perhaps – but his own sword had landed point first in the ground. Bilbo's leg had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and now he was suffering from it.

Gasping hard, Bilbo forced himself into a sitting position. He reached forward and grabbed his sword's hilt. The movement caused the sword to shift slightly. He gritted his pain against the fresh wave of pain. Gripping the hilt in sweaty palms, Bilbo breathed hard through his nose.

"One," he whispered to himself, flexing his fingers. "Two." He took a shuddering breath. "_Three_." And he yanked. If he had thought the pain of the sword in his leg was bad enough, it was nothing compared to what came next. A burning, prickling sensation of a thousand knives stabbed at his leg. Falling back, Bilbo fell back with a soundless screech on his lips. He writhed on the floor of the cavern as the pain continued for what felt like hours. Eventually it dulled down to a throbbing pain and Bilbo lay there gasping. He remained that way for several minutes until the pain in his leg had dulled to almost nothing.

Forcing himself back up, Bilbo dared to look at his leg. His pants' leg had been stained a brilliant red, but it was the skin underneath that caught Bilbo's attention. Where there should have been a bleeding wound was furiously red skin. It ached when he touched it softly, his fingers running over the smooth skin. Frowning, Bilbo pushed himself to his feet. He gingerly placed his weight on his leg. His limb ached quietly in protest but worked all the same.

"Bless me," Bilbo said, using Bofur's favorite exclamation. He only knew of one thing that could heal an injury like that and it was currently locked away in the medical bay of the _Arkenstone_. A hissing breath caught Bilbo's attention and he ducked behind a boulder, grabbing his glowing sword.

The Goblin had fallen several yards away from Bilbo. Its breath came out in rasping gasps and it twitched in apparent pain. It wasn't the Goblin, though, that caught Bilbo's attention. It was the two lamp-like eyes that shone out through the darkness. A gangly creature such as he had never seen before crept out from the shadows.

"Yess," it hissed through its teeth. "Yess, my preciouss! _Gollum! Gollum!_" Bilbo swallowed hard. The creature crawled forward on all fours like a beast, its skin a sickly pale in the gloom. "Yess, yess! Food, my preciouss. The nassty Goblinsess have ssent us food! _Gollum! Gollum!_"

The creature – Gollum, Bilbo thought – crawled over the Goblin and grabbed it by the ankles. It had only managed to drag the injured creature a few feet before the Goblin sprung forward with a terrible screech. Gollum screamed back and grabbed a rock, striking the Goblin hard on the head. A flash caught Bilbo's eye during the tousle. It bounced away from Gollum and near Bilbo's boulder. Several minutes passed during which Gollum hit the Goblin one more time. The Goblin fell still and he dragged it away into the darkness.

Bilbo waited until Gollum and his prey had disappeared before he crawled out from behind the boulder. His hand landed on something in the dark – a ring, he thought – and he shoved it into his vest pocket without thinking. Slowly, he crept forward, following Gollum's voice through the cave. He was led into a smaller cavern than before. A rocky shore followed the edge of the cave, a lake lapping at it quietly. In the center of the lake was a rock where Bilbo saw the creature perched on it.

"Nassty Goblinsess," Gollum's voice hissed across the lake. "Too many bonesess, preciouss. Not enough meat." Bilbo ducked behind a boulder, holding his sword in a tight grip. A terrible screeching sounded behind him and he heard Gollum screaming. The sound of a rock against flesh echoed through the cavern, Bilbo wincing. He watched as the sword in his hand flickered dead. He didn't hear Gollum's questioning hiss or the lap of water as he moved across the lake on his boat. The sound of slippery hands and feet slipped past his ears until suddenly the creature Gollum sprang from the rock above and landed before him.

"Bless us and splash us, preciouss, that's a meaty mouthful!"

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

**You sure you can do this? **_Sure, it's not a sweat! _**You're positive? **_Yes! I'll be fine, stop pestering me. _**Alright. **_Here's the deal: we're returning to writing Hetalia early, but I'll continue updating for the Hobbit every chance I get! Until later, toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	21. Vaulted and Vexed

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Alright, due to a late dinner, Castor and I have opted to continue our planning stories before we actually write Forward in Fear. Sorry about that, to my Hetalia fans. To my Hobbit fans I will tell you this: it takes Castor and me a good two and a half to three hours to roleplay a chapter. I then have to spend that same amount of time editing the chapter. So my updates are going to get a little erratic with this story. Anyway, onward and forward!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Vaulted and Vexed<strong>

Dori cried in dismay when the Goblins shoved him past Bilbo. Beside him Nori twisted around, a horrified expression on his face. His eyes turned to his older brother and Dori saw the truth in them. Bilbo had been left behind, the Goblins completely ignoring him. The Hobbit was as safe as he could be . . . for now. Dori prayed to Mahal he would stay that way.

The Goblins shoved the Dwarves down the stone bridge and into a passage. They were plunged into the black for several seconds until they came out on the other side. Dori had never seen so many Goblins before. The horrifyingly ugly creatures lined walkways all along the cavern walls. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, jeered down at the Dwarves and shouted insults. It was the largest, though, who caught Dori's attention. He was fat, reminding the Dwarf of a spoiled child, with what must have been a tumor in his waddle of a chin. A thorny crown sat atop his fat head and he gripped a scepter in his hand. It was the Goblin King.

The Goblin King watched with absolute glee as his prisoners were dragged forward. Weapons were snatched out of the Dwarves' hands and thrown into a pile. Dori elbowed a Goblin in the face but it did nothing to stop him from losing his sword. Shunted forward, he found himself caught in Nori's quick hands.

"Dori," Nori breathed. "He got away."

"That's no use here," Dori whispered back. "We're all dead here. And if we're dead then so is he."

"It'll be alright," Nori said. Anything he else he could have added was stopped by a strike to the head by a Goblin.

"That's enough chattin'," the Goblin snapped. Dori glared at him and straightened his coat, wrenching his arm out of a Goblin's grip.

"Well, well, well," the Goblin King said gleefully. "What have we here?"

"Dwarves, your malevolence," a Goblin near Dwalin said. "We found them goin' through the High Pass."

"Strange for Dwarves to be traveling in this part of the System," the Goblin King commented. "What are you doing in these parts? I want the truth, warts and all." Dori looked to Thorin who glared at the Goblin King with disdain. The Goblin King's eyes traveled over the Dwarves and he frowned.

"Is somethin' wrong, your great protuberance?" a Goblin asked meekly.

"Thirteen," the Goblin King muttered before his voice raised to a roar. "You've brought me thirteen! You said there were fourteen!" The Goblins around the Dwarves squealed in shock and jostled the Dwarves, counting them. Finally a Goblin turned to his king with a terrified expression.

"There were fourteen," he said in a high, croaking voice. "We counted them on the ship. We had fourteen."

"But there are only thirteen," the Goblin King snarled. Hauling himself off his throne – and crushing several Goblins in the process – he lurched forward at the group. "Where is your fourteenth member?" he demanded. "Where is he?" Spit flew from the Goblin King's mouth, spattering across the Dwarves. Dori made a face and wiped his cheek on a sleeve.

"There are only thirteen of us," Balin said. "Your men must have miscounted somewhere along the way."

"But there was another," a Goblin beside Kili whined. "He was shorter, an Elf child."

"An Elf child?" the Goblin King asked interestedly before turning to the Dwarves. "What business do Dwarves have carrying an Elf child on their ship?"

"There is no Elf child," Balin said in desperation.

"Aye," Bofur agreed quickly. "There's only thirteen of us. None of ya seem ta be able ta count." This earned him a clocking on the head with the Goblin King's scepter. Bifur cursed in fluent Khuzdul as he caught his cousin, supporting a dazed Bofur.

"That was not necessary," Dori shouted. "None of you Goblins have any sense." He ducked as the scepter swung at his head, hitting Dwalin instead. The tallest Dwarf growled but didn't make signs that it had hurt him.

"Where's the fourteenth member?" the Goblin demanded. "Speak now, or I will kill one of you!"

"There is not another member," Balin insisted helplessly. "We number only thirteen." The Goblin King snarled and turned to mutter to one of his kin. The Goblin cackled excitedly and jumped from the platform, disappearing to fetch something.

"If you won't talk," the Goblin King said, sitting back in his throne. "We'll make you squawk! Start with the youngest." He pointed at a horrified looking Ori. Dori grabbed his youngest brother by the arm and pulled him close. Gloin and Dwalin closed a triangle around the youngest Dwarf, protecting him from all sides.

"Bring him to me," the Goblin King ordered. The Goblins surrounding the crew of the _Arkenstone_ scrabbled at the Dwarves. The crew drew closer together with Ori in the middle. Punches were thrown and arms were jerked at, the result being one massive escalating fight. It would have blown into an entire brawl had Nori not spoken.

"Stop!" Nori shouted. The Goblins near him balked in surprise then looked to their king for directions. The Goblin King raised one clawed hand and the Goblins fell back. Dori held his brother close to his side. Ori trembled against him, clinging to his older brother.

"Do you have something to say?" the Goblin King asked Nori suspiciously.

"I do," Nori said. The crew held their breath as he stepped forward. "Your Goblins didn't miscount, there used to be fourteen of us."

"_Used_ to be?" the Goblin King repeated, his eyes narrowing.

"Aye," Nori said with a nod. "One of your kin shoved our friend off the bridge in the fight. He'll be long gone by now."

"You lost an _Elf child_?" the Goblin King roared to his Goblins who cowered and whimpered. "You lost a precious jewel we could have sold!"

"We didn't mean to, your massive excellency," a Goblin squealed. "They was fighting us."

"Call back the messenger," the Goblin King ordered his servants. "Send out a troop to search the bottom of the caves for the Elf child."

"Ah, but you see, he wasn't an Elf child," Nori said. Dori's eyes narrowed and he heard Dwalin growl. The Goblin King turned back to Nori, his attention piqued further.

"Go on."

"He's a Fallohide," Nori said. The Goblin King's brow furrowed in confusion as he listened. "From afar, a child of the stars. We received word from a certain wizard that we needed to find this child of the stars and return him to his mother."

"A child of the stars," the Goblin muttered, scratching at his tumor of a beard.

"Aye, and he can go invisible if he likes," Nori continued. "But you see, he only knows us. He doesn't know any of your Goblins. He won't show himself to people he doesn't know."

"You said he fell," the Goblin King commented. "There is no way a child, Elf or of the stars, could survive that."

"But you've never seen a child of the stars," Nori pointed out. "He'll likely have survived the fall." It was a lie, the crew knew, but a clever lie to save their necks. Spreading his arms, Nori gestured to the whole of the crew. "If you let us go look for him, we can bring him back to you." The Goblin King considered this for a long moment before muttering to himself and nodding.

"Very well," he agreed. "There is nowhere else you can go. My Goblins would find you before you could go far."

"Alright," Nori said, looking back over his shoulder. He winked at Dori who frowned. What was his younger brother up to? Nori turned back to the Goblin King to gape at his next words.

"You have one hour," the Goblin King said. "Provided you survive the fall."

O.o.O

"Bless us and splash us, preciouss, that's a meaty mouthful," the creature Gollum said in his croaking voice. He advanced on Bilbo who raised his sword, the tip just barely brushing Gollum's throat. The creature took one look at the weapon and then scuttled back.

"That's an Elfss blade, that iss," he spoke to himself. "But it isn't an Elfss, no not an Elfss at all." Turning, he looked Bilbo up and down. "What iss it, preciouss? What _iss_ it?"

"I am Bilbo Baggins of the shire," Bilbo said slowly, lowering his sword as the threat left him. "I am a Hobbit."

"Bagginsess?" Gollum repeated, a confused expression on his face. "Never heard of a Bagginsess before? Is it crunchy? Is it juicy?" He crawled toward Bilbo who raised his sword once more.

"I-I don't want any trouble," Bilbo said. "I'm just lost. I need to find a way out of here, and I need to find my friends."

"Lost," Gollum repeated with a cackle. "It's lost, preciouss. Oh, it's lost! But we know the wayss through the tunnelss. We never get lost in here."

"Then you can show me the way out?" Bilbo asked. His heart sank as the creature Gollum cackled again.

"Why shows it the way out," he said. "When we can _eat_ it whole?" A mad twinkling in his eyes caused Bilbo's stomach to lurch.

"B-Because I-I am a child of the stars," he whispered. Gollum's expression changed from one of delight to confusion again. "And my mother would not be very happy if you ate me."

"Mother?" Gollum repeated. "Never heard of a mother before? We mights have had one; once, yess, long ago. But no more. Now it's only us, preciouss. _Gollum. Gollum_." He made the sickening sound in his throat and crept away from Bilbo. "No mother for uss, no, no we don't needs one. We don't wants one. All we wants is juicy fish to eats. And Hobbitses." His cold eyes turned back to Bilbo. "Lots and lots of Hobbitses."

"I told you," Bilbo said. "I am a child of the stars." He watched as Gollum slithered his way up onto a boulder. The creature perched there, his hands flat on the ground and his head cocked.

"The starss," Gollum repeated, a dangerous light in his eyes. "We hasn't seen the starss in a long time, no. We don't like the stars, or the sun, or the moon."

"Then you wouldn't like my mother very much." Gollum's eyes narrowed at that. "You see, my mother is the sun."

"Aiee!" Gollum screeched, throwing a rock at Bilbo's head. Bilbo ducked just in the nick of time and straightened back up to see Gollum's furious expression. "Don't speak of your mother here. Filthy sun, burnss our eyess, it does. Oh yes, cruel, cruel sun."

"Well, my mother _is_ the sun," Bilbo said. "And if you don't show me the way out then she will be very angry with you. She will come down into this tunnel and burn you alive." Gollum screeched at the thought of agony before his face lit up.

"Gameses!" he said with cackle. "Oh, let us play a gameses."

"What? No, I don't want to play any games. I just want you to show me the way out."

"We shows you the way out," Gollum offered. "If you win a game of riddless."

"And if I lose?" Bilbo asked, dreading the answer.

"If Bagginses loses, we eats it whole and its mother doesn't come down to burn us." Bilbo blinked at the creature's answer. He opened his mouth to answer then shut it again, aware of Gollum's intent stare. He could either play the game, and hopefully defeat Gollum, or he and the creature could fight, one of them dying the process. Bilbo had a feeling he knew who would win in a fight between the two of them.

"Alright," he said at last. "A game of riddles it is. I win, you show me the way out. You win, you eat me . . . whole. Sounds fair enough to me." Gollum's eyes lit up with a maniacal joy.

"Well Bagginses first," he said. "Ask us a riddle, any riddle. We knows them all."

"Okay then," Bilbo said. Sheathing his sword, he thought to himself. "Let me think . . . Alright here's one."

_What runs but never walks,_

_Often murmurs, never talks,_

_Has a bed but never sleeps,_

_Has a mouth but never eats?_

Gollum cocked his heat at that, his nose scrunching up in distaste. Several seconds passed during which he drummed his fingers on the boulder and gnashed his teeth. Bilbo watched, a spark of hope already in his chest. But then Gollum's face lit up with realization.

"Rivers!" he cackled. "Oh, it's the rivers!"

"Yes," Bilbo said, his heart falling. "Your turn."

"Yess, yess, our turn," Gollum said gleefully. Leaping down from the boulder, he approached Bilbo who drew his sword again. Gollum stopped just short of cutting his own throat on the weapon.

_I am always hungry,_

_I must always be fed,_

_The finger I touch,_

_Will soon be red._

Bilbo frowned, rolling the words through his mind. He had never heard such a riddle before. Stepping away from the creature, Bilbo ran a hand through his hair, muttering the words to himself. A far off memory of a candle a fauntling's curiosity surfaced and he smiled to himself.

"Fire," he said, hearing Gollum's angry hiss. "The answer is fire." Gollum grumbled to himself, glaring at Bilbo with hatred. "That was an easy one. Now, let's see . . . Ah, here's one."

_I drive men mad for the love of me,_

_Easily beaten, never free._

And for a moment Bilbo honestly thought he had won. Gollum's face turned to one of such horror that there couldn't possibly have been a way he knew the answer. The creature averted his gaze and muttered to himself, hands scrabbling against the ground.

"Well?" Bilbo asked after several minutes had passed. "Do you give up?"

"Nasty, it iss," the Gollum creature said. "But we knowss the answer, don't we, precious? Oh yess, gold. Gold! The Goblinses loves gold. Our turn." Sitting back, the creature Gollum recited his own riddle.

_You heard me before, yet you hear me again,_

_Then I die, 'till you call me again._

Bilbo frowned at the simplicity of the riddle. Surely Gollum could do better than that. He had given away the answer just by speaking.

"An echo," Bilbo said, and Gollum hissed at him again. "That was too easy."

"Fine," Gollum said. "One last riddle, one last chance. Ask us a question." He watched Bilbo pace away, his face turning hideously furious. "Ask us!" Bilbo's free hand slipped into his pocket and he frowned.

"What have I got in my pocket?" he asked aloud, rolling the object through his fingers. Gollum screeched loudly and another rock was thrown at Bilbo's head. This one barely hit Bilbo, whizzing past his ear. Bilbo spun around to see the furious creature.

"It's a game of riddles," Gollum screeched. "That's against the rules! It's a game of riddles!" He advanced on Bilbo who raised his sword to the creature's throat.

"No, you said to ask you a question," Bilbo pointed out. "And that is my question: what have I got in my pocket?" Gollum fell away from him with a furious hiss before he spun around. Bilbo raised his sword just in case.

"Three guesses, precious," Gollum said, raising two fingers. "You must give us three guesses."

"Very well, guess away."

"Handses!" Gollum said, raising his own. Bilbo, who had snatched his own hand out of his pocket just before Gollum had spoken, raised his free hand too. Gollum frowned at that before scrabbling at the floor. "Bat wings . . . pebbles . . . shells . . . old bones . . . Bat wings!" he screeched to Bilbo who shook his head.

"Wrong, guess again."

"String!" Gollum tried desperately before his face turned dark. "Or nothing."

"Two guesses at once," Bilbo said, shaking a finger. "And both were wrong. It looks like I win." Gollum moaned to himself, falling back and grinding his head against the floor. "You promised to show me the way out."

"Promises," Gollum whined before he turned cold eyes on Bilbo. "We never promised anything, preciouss, did we?"

"But you said-."

"We said we would eat you whole," Gollum said, approaching Bilbo who backed away with his sword raised. Gollum's hand disappeared behind his back and his face grew gleeful. Bilbo half expected him to leap when the creature's face turned to shock. "Where is it?" Gollum screeched, patting at his cloth. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?" Bilbo asked in confusion. He watched as Gollum threw himself on the ground, hands scrabbling as he searched for something. The creature splashed at the water.

"It's lost! Lost!"

"What have you lost?" Bilbo asked.

"Don't ask. Not its business!" Bilbo's confusion grew as the creature sobbed into his hands. What could Gollum possibly have lost that was making him so upset? Suddenly Gollum's shoulders stiffened and he turned slowly to look at Bilbo. "He stoled it," he whispered to himself. "He stoled it."

"I haven't stolen anything," Bilbo countered.

"What has it got in its nasty little pocketses," Gollum hissed. "What have you got, Hobbitses? You've got our birthday present. _Gollum. Gollum._"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bilbo said desperately, ducking as Gollum threw another rock at him.

"My preciouss!" Gollum screeched. Scrabbling for purchase, Bilbo darted for a small crack in the wall. Slapping feet followed him as Gollum screamed his fury. "Give it back to uss! Give it back!"

Bilbo raced through the labyrinth of tunnels, not knowing where he was going. It didn't matter, though. Getting lost was better than being eaten alive by an angry Gollum. He still didn't understand what the creature had lost to make him so angry. Darting for a crack, Bilbo tried to slip his way through. He got caught, though, when the bronze buttons of his waistcoat caught on the rocks. Gollum's eyes drew around the bend and the creature approached him.

"Give it back! You stole it!" he hissed, his fingers reaching for Bilbo.

Sucking in his stomach as hard as he could, Bilbo slipped through the crack. He tripped back with his right hand in his pocket and he felt the ring slip onto it. A strange stinging sensation ran through his middle finger followed by a crawling across his skin. Gollum leapt through the crack and over Bilbo, completely missing the Hobbit. Bilbo watched with bated breath as the creature scrabbled against the ground screaming. Standing slowly, he advanced on Gollum with a raised sword. He could strike now and Gollum would be gone from everyone's lives forever. Bilbo was prepared to bring down the sword on Gollum's throat when the creature turned. Words rang through Bilbo's head, words Gandalf had spoken to him when he had given Bilbo the sword.

"_Courage is not about knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one."_

Staring at the creature, Bilbo didn't have the heart to kill him. He stepped back and sheathed his sword. Gollum whimpered, falling back on the rock.

"He stoled it! He did, preciouss, he did! We hates him forever!" Bilbo's footsteps were masked by the screams as he tiptoed away through another tunnel. He would leave Gollum to rot down in here. Bilbo could find his own way out.

O.o.O

Bofur stared in open-mouthed shock at the boar spear ringing between his legs. Had it fallen an inch higher he would have lost a very important part of his body. Thank Mahal _that _didn't happen. The Dwarves around Bofur groaned as they sat up, the older ones needing help while the younger ones popped sore bones.

"That could have gone worse," Nori commented drily as he helped Dori to his feet. Bifur grabbed the boar spear from between Bofur's legs and looked at it fondly.

"Worse," Dwalin repeated, supporting his older brother who looked rather dazed. "That bastard _threw_ us over the edge."

"And our weapons with us," Gloin added. Oin stood beside his brother, poking his own ears with a frustrated expression. Bombur hooked his arms under Bofur's armpits and hauled his brother to his feet.

"None of us got hurt," Nori argued. Seeing Kili holding his nose and Ori nursing a bruised shoulder, he shrugged. "Alright, fine, none of us got hurt too badly."

"I was almost circumcised!" Bofur shouted at his friend. "I could've lost some very valuable jewels!" Bifur snickered at that and Bofur glared at his cousin. Nori just shrugged again.

"It's not like you use it all that much," he said.

"Nori!" Dori shouted while Fili and Kili roared with laughter.

"Who's been sized?" Oin asked loudly. Stomping over to the near-deaf Dwarf, Bofur pulled a small screwdriver from his pocket and twisted the small on-off switch. Oin brightened up almost immediately and went straight to business. "Alright, who's injured?"

"Ori and Kili," Nori said. "But they'll be fine. It's Bofur you have to look at."

"Bofur?" Oin repeated. Turning to the engineer who flushed, he looked Bofur up and down. "There's nothing wrong with the laddie."

"Bifur's boar spear almost nailed his family jewels," Nori said bluntly. Scooping up a rock, Bofur chucked it at his friend's head just as Dori shouted.

"NORI!" Nori ducked both the rock and his older brother's grabbing hands.

"Enough!" Thorin roared. Dori stilled in the action of strangling his younger brother. Reluctantly, he dropped Nori to the ground. "We need to find a way out."

"But what about Bilbo?" Bofur asked. Thorin looked at him with a dark expression before turning to head down the tunnel. "Thorin, we can't leave Bilbo!" Grabbing his mattock from the ground, Bofur raced after his captain. "What about Bilbo?"

"We said it ourselves," Thorin said, not breaking stride during the conversation. "There is no way he could have survived the fall." Bofur ignored the rest of the crew trying to catch up to them, keeping step with Thorin.

"But we can't just abandon him," Bofur argued. Thorin stopped and turned to him, a dark look in his eyes.

"Bilbo is dead," his captain said. "What do you propose? Hunting through this Mahal-forsaken cavern until the Goblins kill us?"

"We need ta go back and find his body," Bofur said. "I don't want ta leave him here ta be eaten by Goblins."

"We have no choice," Thorin snapped. Balin's hand fell on Thorin's arm in a warning manner. Bofur swallowed hard before speaking, surprising even himself.

"Then I'm goin' back," he said. Thorin's eyebrows raised eye up his forehead. "Ya can go back ta the ship, but I'm not leavin' Bilbo here ta be eaten by Goblins." And with that Bofur turned on his heel and marched away from the group. Thorin shouted after him but he ignored his captain. Bofur had just turned around a bend in the path when footsteps caught up with him.

"Go back, Bif," Bofur said. "Thorin's goin' ta need at least one engineer."

"You know he doesn't listen to you," Nori said. Bofur paused and turned to see Nori and Bifur standing behind him. Bifur cocked his head and spoke in Khuzdul. Bofur frowned at the words.

"Of course I meant what I said," he said. "I'm not goin' ta leave Bilbo ta be . . ."

"Defiled?" Nori offered, and Bofur nodded. "Well, you'll need at least two more people to help you there." Bifur nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"I can handle this just fine," Bofur argued. "I don't need ya two followin' me around cause you think you can't take care of yourself." Bifur spoke again and shook his finger at his cousin, but Bofur ignored him.

"You can tell us to turn around all you want," Nori said. "But we're not going to leave. Bifur won't abandon his favorite cousin and I'm not letting my friend die out here alone. What if the Goblins came and got you?" Bofur frowned, he hadn't thought of that. "Ah, you see, this is why we're friends: because I'm smarter than you are."

"Shut up," Bofur muttered. "Fine, ya two can come along if ya want, but I'm not waitin' fer ya." Turning on his heel, he marched away with his friends close behind.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I don't know why, but I really didn't like writing the riddle scene. I thought I would, but I didn't. I also decided to cut the chapter here because I couldn't think of anywhere else to go . . . and my brain is too fried from Hobbit stories today. Castor assured me she liked the scene, so I'm trusting her. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	22. Yips and Yelps

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Writer's block, meet the idea cannon. Idea cannon, meet writer's block. Boom._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Yips and Yelps<strong>

"He threw you over the edge?" Agent Smith asked in disbelief. Ori nodded slowly, wondering if the agent had been dropped on his head as a child. "And you survived?"

"Um, yes?" Ori said, his suspicion growing.

"How far of a drop was that?" the Man asked Ori. "Thirty? Forty feet?"

"I think it was well around a few hundred," Ori said, and Agent Smith choked. "How much do you actually know about the Misty Mountains?"

"I know my basic history," Agent Smith admitted. "The battle of Azanulbizar, Khazad-dum, the Goblin Infestation."

"Well, there's always that one bit the Government doesn't talk about," Ori said. Agent Smith sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I seem to be learning a bit too much about that this week," Agent Smith said, and Ori smiled wryly.

"Well this'll make it worse," Ori told the Man. "The Government tried to use the Misty Mountains as a research facility." Agent Smith looked up at him with curiosity. "Bofur's a hidden genius. He may not act like it, but he can invent anything if he puts his mind to it."

"Yes, I've noticed," Agent Smith said slowly. "I'm guessing Bofur has something to do with the Misty Mountains?"

"Somewhat," Ori said, thinking before he continued. "It turned out the Government had planted a mole in the mines when they learned about Bofur. The mole talked to him and listened to all his ideas, taking them back to the Government."

"Who tried to recreate them?" Agent Smith guessed, and Ori nodded. "I'm going to say they didn't go over well."

"Well, one of the projects worked pretty well," Ori said in disagreement. "But those were just prototypes. The planet we had landed on was infested with rogue medical mites." Agent Smith's eyebrows rose high up his forehead. "The Government had tried to mass produce the medical mites and used the facility as an experiment."

"What went wrong?"

"They never put a self-destruct mechanism in the medical mites like Bofur did. They continued to reproduce themselves and . . ."

"And what?"

"Do you have a knife?" Ori asked suddenly. The Man's brow furrowed but he nodded slowly. "May I see it? I promise not to kill you." Ori smiled wryly at that. He watched the inner argument in the Man's expression before the agent passed over a knife. Ori accepted the pocket knife and flipped it open, slicing the blade down his wrist. A thin trail of blood ran down his skin and dripped into his lap.

"Hey!" Agent Smith shouted. Ori tossed the knife aside and waited patiently as the tingling sensation filled his wrist. Agent Smith's eyes widened in shock when the blood slowly stopped flowing. A new layer of skin had sealed over the cut. The Agent fell back onto his stool, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"When the Goblins took us into their caves," Ori explained. "We inhaled the medical mites just by being there. We didn't know it at first, but now we're all infested with them."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Agent Smith whispered.

"It is," Ori said sadly. "Oin tried everything to destroy the mites but they just mass produced themselves. We can never get rid of them."

"Is that how you survived the fall?" Agent Smith asked, and Ori nodded slowly. "And what about this other project? The prototype?" Ori smiled mischievously.

"That's what I'm getting to next," the Dwarf said. Leaning back against the wall, he clasped his hands together. "It took us a long time to find our way out of those tunnels . . ."

O.o.O

"Eighty-three barrels of ale on the wall," Kili sang as he marched beside his older brother. "Eight-three barrels of ale. You take one down, you pass it around, you've got eighty-two barrels of ale on the wall." Fili ground his teeth in aggravation. He had tried stuffing his fingers in his ears at ninety barrels to no avail. Kili had just continued to sing as slowly the mood of the company grew annoyed. Sometimes Fili wished his younger brother could read the atmosphere.

"You take one down, you pass it around, you've got eighty-."

"Enough," Thorin growled, and Kili stopped singing with a grin. Catching his older brother's eye, he winked and mouthed 'seventeen minutes'. It had all been one of Kili's games to see how long it took him to annoy Thorin enough.

"This is hopeless," Dwalin said. Dori glared at him from holding Ori close. The youngest Dwarf had fallen into a fit of tears not four minutes into their march, sobbing about how they were all going to die.

"Don't say that," Kili said, his grin growing. "Just because Thorin's got us lost five times-."

"Kili," Balin said in a warning tone, and Kili's grin dropped. His shoulders drooped as he stuffed his hands his pockets, scuffing the ground with a boot. Fili nudged his brother with an elbow.

"The laddie's just trying to help," Gloin said. "There's no need to yell at him."

"We do not have time for games," Thorin said without turning around. "We have already wasted nearly forty minutes of the time that bastard gave us."

"Forty-five," Balin corrected, planting his hands on his hips as he walked. "And we are three Dwarves, a Hobbit, and a wizard short."

"The missing wizard may be fixed very easily," a deep voice said behind the group. Shouts rang through the Dwarves as they whirled around, their weapons drawn. Gandalf looked down at them with humor in his eyes, his staff gripped in one hand and Glamdring in the other.

"Gandalf," Thorin said with a tone of relief. Gandalf nodded a greeting to him. "How did you know we were down here?"

"I arrived at your ship just in time to see what happened," Gandalf said, tapping his staff against the ground. "I was forced to dock my pod and take a fresh one in order to land down here."

"In the labyrinth?" Ori asked in disbelief. Gandalf nodded seriously.

"I have been wandering these tunnels wondering how to rescue you for some time now," the wizard said. He turned a curious eye on Thorin. "How did you manage to escape the Goblins?"

"Nori convinced them to throw us down here," Dwalin growled out.

"He tricked them into releasing us," Dori corrected us. "It just so happened that we ended up being thrown down here."

"The Goblins released you?" Gandalf repeated in shock. "Just like that?"

"Hardly," Dori said. Balin cut in before he could continue.

"Nori tricked them into thinking Bilbo was a child of the stars," Thorin's first-mate said. Gandalf listened intently as Balin spoke. "He said only we could find Bilbo, so they threw us down here. We have one hour to find Bilbo before the Goblins come looking."

"Speaking of the Hobbit, where is?" Gandalf asked. The crew looked around at each other sheepishly. No one wanted to be the one to break the news to Gandalf. The wizard's voice darkened with suspicion. "What happened?"

"Bilbo fell," Kili said, his voice cracking. "When they got us off the ship Bilbo fell down here somewhere." Gandalf's eyes widened before his face softened.

"Bofur, Nori, and Bifur went looking for him?" Gandalf guessed. Kili nodded sadly and Gandalf cleared his throat. "Very well, I can lead you back to the pod, but I'm afraid that will only hold five Dwarves without a wizard."

"If we can get to the ship then we can find a way to escape," Thorin said. "Lead the way." Gandalf nodded and turned on his heel, leading the Dwarves in the opposite direction. Kili hooked his arm through Fili's as he fell in step beside his brother.

"See," he whispered for only Fili to hear. "I told you everything would fine."

"You didn't even say anything," Fili retorted. Kili just grinned at him and winked, earning himself a snort from his older brother.

The ten Dwarves and wizard continued on in silence for several more minutes as they trekked through the tunnels. Occasionally Thorin or Gandalf would say something to each other. Snippets of their conversation floated back to Fili, carrying words such as 'guilt', 'Frerin', or 'given him a chance'. None of it made any sense to the pilot but he figured that's the way it was with Gandalf. Some things he told to certain people and others he didn't. It seemed like only half the people he ever talked to knew what they were doing when in all reality they didn't have a clue. Fili would have been happy to continue walking in ignorance if Kili hadn't looked up at that moment. His brother froze on the spot before shouting.

"Gandalf!"

The wizard spun on the spot and looked to Kili who pointed up. Eleven pairs of eyes followed Kili's fingers up into the darkness of the cavern walls. Crawling figures descended down the walls with familiar clacking sounds. The Goblins were on their way down. Their hour was up.

O.o.O

Bilbo didn't know how Gollum could have possibly ran past him in the tunnel. In the end, he decided it had something to do with the ring. Upon removing the small piece of jewelry, the strange sensation of tingling skin had left him. He was left with a normal feeling he found he had started missing. The ring was stuffed into his waistcoat's pocket and he continued down the tunnel. Bilbo didn't know how many minutes had passed before he found himself in a new cavern.

This cavern had once obviously belonged to someone, or something. The walls had been smoothed down until they rose in a high dome. Cracked computer screens hung from the walls. Some still remained on their original mounts while others hung by bare cords. A wide area of the floor had been carved out in a perfect circle, a railing surrounding it. Desks littered the area around the railing, papers having been abandoned there in someone's hurry to leave.

Bilbo approached the railing carefully. A thick layer of dust covered the cool metal, blowing up into the air when Bilbo placed his hands on the railing. Clearly the Goblins had not reached this area yet. Any damage done to the computers and desks had been done by old age. Whoever had left hadn't returned for several years, maybe even a hundred.

Crouching down, Bilbo stuck his head through the wide slots in the railing. Several yards below him was what looked like glass covered in more dust and dirt. Two cracks ran in an 'X' formation through the circle which in itself was hundreds of feet across.

"Wow," Bilbo breathed to himself. He pulled back from the railing and stood, looking about himself. A bat or two fluttered out from the ceiling but otherwise he was alone. Curiosity piqued further, he chose to investigate.

The papers revealed nothing to Bilbo. They were written in a language he didn't recognize. There were pictures, though, that he could understand. One page in a stack revealed a small spider-like creature. Lines pointed at certain parts of the spider and words had been written. Notes, Bilbo guessed. Another page revealed to him the skeleton of an eagle. Anymore pages of this project had either been destroyed or taken to Bilbo's dismay. He searched the entire desk twice but couldn't find anything that matched the eagle's project. Only word stood out to him: _Gwahir_. He didn't know what it meant, but obviously it was a name.

Leaving the desk, Bilbo wandered further around the room. Dust floated up as he walked through the cavern, leaving a trail of footsteps behind him. His feet carried him in a near full circle without any further observations. Until he found the small podium facing the railing. A single red button sat in the center, its glass cover having been lifted long ago. More dust covered the button, dulling its once brilliant color.

"A button," Bilbo said to himself. "A big red button." In his experience of reading, big red buttons were never a good sign. They normally led to a certain death or sometimes trap doors that opened beneath the victim. Bilbo would never in a million years forgive his Tookish side.

He pressed the big red button.

Almost immediately computer screens flickered to life. Bilbo jumped back in surprise as white numbers began to run across blue screens. The glass doors in the hole below opened with an ungodly screech, drawing back in triangles. White lights flickered on in sequence down the deep tunnel Bilbo didn't have the courage to look back down in. A strange screeching sound echoed up from the tunnel below followed by a hum.

"Blast it!" Bilbo swore, stumbling back from the tunnel. "Blast it all to Eru!" The echoes of a familiar whistling sound reached his ears and he spun around. "Bifur?" he called out hopefully. Behind him, he heard the humming sound growing into a roaring. The entire cavern shook with the new force, rocks tumbling down in large pieces. Bilbo yelped as he dodged a particularly large chuck of granite that had almost landed on him.

Darting for the door, Bilbo raced from the cavern as fast as his feet could carry him. The sounds of the cavern caving in followed him through the tunnels. He followed the whistling, coughing and trying to rub dust out of his eyes, until he ran into a solid chest and fell back to the ground.

"Bilbo!" Bofur crowed. "Yer alive!"

"Yes, yes," Bilbo coughed, trying to clear his lungs. He yelped in surprise when he found himself pulled to his feet by Bofur. Bifur patted him on the head with a friendly word in Khuzdul. Nori looked his friend up and down.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"Cave-in," Bilbo said. Bofur began to pat the dirt and dust out of his jacket, almost knocking the Hobbit over with the force of it. "I found a cavern and . . ." His ears burned red.

"And what?" Nori asked curiously.

"Nothing," Bilbo said quicker than he would have liked. "But we need to get out of here now." He moved to march forward but Bofur grabbed him by the arm.

"Hold yer horses," Bofur said. "How did ya manage to survive the fall?"

"I couldn't tell you," Bilbo said honestly. "I remember falling and then I woke up down here. But we really need to be going."

"What's got ya in such a rush?" Bofur asked. Bilbo opened his mouth to answer, the faint roaring down the tunnel growing steadily, when Bifur shouted.

"_Urkh__û__s!_" Bofur's head snapped up and his eyes widened. Nori swung his mace around up following Bofur's gaze.

"Goblins!" Nori shouted. Bilbo looked up to see the hideous creatures scaling down the cavern walls. "Stay with us, Bilbo!" Scrabbling at his sword, Bilbo drew the glowing weapon from its sheath. Bifur hefted his boar spear and grabbed Bilbo's arm as they raced down the tunnel.

"We need ta find the rest of the crew," Bofur shouted over the sounds of the screeching Goblins. Nori led them back down the tunnel at a faster pace than Bilbo would have liked. No matter where they ran, though, the Goblins continued to descend in more numbers than Bilbo could have counted. Surely there couldn't be this amount of creatures living in one space?

Nori skidded to a halt at a fork in the path, his head whipping back and forth. Bilbo spun around to place his back to Bifur's. His eyes scanned the darkness above and around them. The Goblins were closing in fast, too fast. The small group would be overtaken in no time. Bilbo's ears twitched at the growing sound of roaring but he ignored it.

"By Mahal," Bofur swore, swinging his mattock at the first Goblin that reached them. The Goblin screeched and fell down from the wall to be replaced by another. Bilbo swung his short sword at another Goblin, catching it in the stomach. Beside him Bifur shouted in fluent Khuzdul and jabbed out with his boar spear. Solid _thunks_ behind him told Bilbo that Nori was putting his mace to good use.

"Blast it."

O.o.O

Thorin swung out at every Goblin who drew too close for comfort. This turned out to be a great number of Goblins, each one replaced by another who shrieked and struck out. Kili had long since ran out of arrows and had been forced to resort to his sword.

"Ori!" Dori shouted as he swung his sword. Oin had grabbed a good grip on his staff to spin it around his head in a methodical manner. Every Goblin with in a four foot radius found themselves knocked unconscious by the weapon.

"Gandalf!" Thorin roared over the chaos. He could just barely see the wizard swinging Glamdring round and round, his staff striking out when the sword didn't.

"Thorin!" Gandalf shouted back. "We need to make for the ship!"

"There's too many of them!" Dwalin's words were almost lost to Thorin in the roar of Goblins. He swung out with Grasper and Keeper, having given up his war hammer to the poorly armed Ori. "We'll never make it out!" A Goblin grabbed Fili by the hair and he swung out hard behind him, relishing the screeching sound.

O.o.O

A hand snapped out and grabbed Bilbo by the hair, wrenching his head back. Bilbo's cry of pain was lost in the screeching around him. He felt more hands grab at him and heard the Dwarves' shouting his name. Bofur swung out with his mattock but there were too many enemies. With the amount of Goblins joining the ranks by the second, they would be dead very soon. A sword sliced deep at Bilbo's back and he screamed, his voice drowned out by a screeching sound.

Something white shot over head and the Goblins' screamed in surprise. Bilbo found himself dropped unceremoniously to the ground. The screeching – an eagle, he thought dully – filled the air again followed by a strange _fwump_ sound. Fires sparked up around him, the Goblins crying out as they tried to escape. Rolling over, Bilbo frowned. Never before had he seen this strange cross between an eagle and a manta ray. The silver tip of the nose curved down like an eagle's beak but the curved wings were covered in a layer of metal that resembled a ray's wings. Globs of flaming liquid shot out from weapons in the creature's smooth belly.

The creature – a ship, Bilbo realized – fired again, sending liquid fire at the Goblins surrounding Bilbo. The creatures screamed in terror and agony, scrabbling back up the walls. Using his sword as a support, Bilbo managed to push himself to his feet. His back screamed in agony at the movement. From this angle he could see the front of the ship better. Three windows made up the windshield, a single one in the center and two on the sides that resembled eyes. A fourth window covered the expanse below what must have been the cockpit.

Several more ships shot over the squabbling group of Goblins, Dwarves, and Hobbit. Three swooped down to fire into the crowd of Goblins, clearing a space. Bilbo watched in bemused wonder until he began to realize something. The ship above him had withdrawn its weapon. The metal and glass belly had folded back in shifting panels to reveal the empty expanse of its stomach. It was descending . . . right at him.

"W-Wait," Bilbo said, though he doubted the ship could hear him. The ship dove down in a quick move, its flexible wings tucked against its sides. Its metal belly barely scraped the ground even as it managed to scoop Bilbo up. The metal panels clicked back into place and Bilbo found himself sitting on a new floor.

The inside of the ship was made of the same metal the outside had been. Directly behind him a thin engine spun in its cradle. Before him Bilbo could see out the windshield. The ship had resumed firing at the Goblins upon achieving its goal. Standing on shaking legs, Bilbo moved forward. A padded bench sat in the very center of the cockpit, the front quarter of it a raised platform. Set before the bench were two curved panels decorated with blinking monitors.

Bilbo ran his fingers over the pad, pushing against the supple material. It felt like his hand was sinking into a cloud. A screen to Bilbo's right flashed blue and a trill filled the air before stopping. Bilbo spared it a glance before a daring feeling filled his stomach. Hopping onto the bench, Bilbo positioned his feet against the tilted footrests on the floor. His elbows were perched on padded arm rests and he gripped the sideways handles in sweaty hands. A metal skeleton sank down and locked in place with a series of _clicks_, holding Bilbo in place.

"Never flown a ship before," Bilbo muttered to himself. The screen trilled almost in a laugh in and he scowled at it. "Shut up." The screen flashed red at him before returning to blue.

Bilbo turned his attention back out to the fight below. Through the window beneath him he could see another ship scooping up a racing Bifur. Bofur had an expression of utmost joy on his face as he waved at the ships. Nori looked absolutely shocked, his mace hanging by his side. The ship barely shuddered beneath Bilbo as it fired a series of liquid fire at the swarming Goblins. Both Bofur and Nori were scooped up by the last two ships. Together, the four ships turned and sped down the tunnel.

The walls sped past Bilbo as the ship flew along. He watched in growing wonder while the ship fired blast after blast at the Goblins it passed. He caught a glimpse of Bofur laughing in the ship below him, the engineer's fingers flying over buttons and flipping switches. Finally, his voice carried over an intercom.

"Bilbo!" he shouted enthusiastically, and Bilbo jumped in surprise. "What do ya think of the beauties?"

"They're yours?" Bilbo asked in disbelief.

"They were my idea," Bofur said. He waved up at Bilbo when the Hobbit looked down at him. Bilbo waved back. "The Government must have decided ta try and build them."

"What are they?" Bilbo asked nervously.

"I called them Eagles," Bofur said with a grin. "Fits, don't it? They're biological ships that feed off solar and lunar energy ta run. These babies recycle the created fuel as plasma fer the weapons."

"Wow," Bilbo breathed. His ship swung around a bend and he found himself facing another mass of scrambling Goblins. The ships he had seen pass him earlier were busy scooping up Dwarves from below. Bilbo caught a glimpse of Gandalf already in one of the ships and he breathed a sigh of relief. The sigh turned into a shout of terror when a Goblin threw itself at his ship, landing on the windshield. The ship somersaulted suddenly and the Goblin was launched back off.

"Hold on ta yer breakfast, Bilbo!" Bofur shouted gleefully over the intercom. Bilbo clutched the handles in a death grip, his eyes wide. Never before had he felt such a sensation of flipping over like that. And he hoped he never would again. The screen to his left blinked gray with a _whoop whoop_. Bilbo could only smile nervously and pat the handle.

"Bofur," Bilbo said, a thought coming to him. "When you said biological ships . . ."

"Oh, aye," Bofur said. "They're built with an artificial intelligence in them. They'll run on autopilot until ya take over the controls. They're made ta fly with only one pilot in their life, genetic locking."

"Brilliant," Bilbo muttered to himself. He watched as Dwalin, the last Dwarf, was scooped up into an _Eagle_. Bofur jerked up on his controls and his ship slipped past Bilbo. The nose of Bilbo's ship tilted upward as it followed Bofur.

One by one the _Eagles_ joined together in a flock. They flew up through the tunnels and out into the open night air. Bilbo gasped in relief, running a hand down his face as he listened to Bofur's whoops. Other voices joined him through the intercom and suddenly everyone was shouting.

"We're alive!"

"Ori, are you alright?"

"That was so awesome! Did you see me, Kili?"

"I think I'm goin' to be sick."

"What is everyone shouting about?"

Laughter erupted at Oin's comment and Bilbo relaxed against the bench. They were alive. They had survived the Goblins.

O.o.O

"Those prototypes," Ori told Agent Smith softly. "Were designs for single-manned battleships. Only fifteen were ever built, every single one of them abandoned in the Misty Mountains when the medical mite epidemic hit."

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Castor even burst an eye vessel, she was so excited about it. The original idea of the Eagles was Castor's, but I fixed it up enough that I'm pretty sure I could call it my own now. But I really need to stop with these late night updates. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	23. Keeling and Keening

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_I am so sorry for the late chapter! I meant to write this on Thursday but Castor's video game had arrived in the mail. She played that. Then I played for four hours on Friday and my brain was fried. On Saturday I came down with a cold and I was too tired from that and work to write. I actually started writing this last night but then I got tired. So here you are. Just for you! I might update later today!_

_A big, big, BIG thank you to Earane for telling me what she thinks of my story! It means a lot._

_I've started posting my story on AO3 if any of you happen to wander through there._

_Right! I've decided to call this story my Big Damn Adventure._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Keeling and Keening<strong>

From birth Bombur had been overweight. To the men it was unhealthy, leading to heart disease and diabetes later in life. But to the Dwarves it was a good sign. It signified a strong body and a healthy appetite for whatever they aspired to do, whether it be smithing or mining or accounting. Years of watching his mother cook led Bombur to fall in love with cooking. It hadn't taken long for their mother to find him a teacher. Nearly every chef on the Blue Mountains was willing to take Bombur on due to his sheer size. He would be a good worker they said, willing to do anything to learn. And learn he did. Through the years Bombur learned to make everything from a simple stew to a soufflé complete with éclairs on the side. He could still remember the day his teacher had given his ladle and said he could teach Bombur no more.

The Dwarf dames of the Blue Mountains fawned over Bombur. Often times he would get visitors in the kitchens where he worked, asking to sample his food or, if they were daring, to sample their own recipes. Only one dame caught his eye, though: the assistant pastry chef. She was a thin dame but made up for it with her sharp tongue and witty attitude. Bombur had fallen in love with her from the moment they had met. No matter how many times he hinted, though, she never showed any interest in him. Until he had learned she was a traditional Dwarf. With Bofur and Bifur's help he jumped into courting to shower the dame with gifts and sweet words. He had never expected the dame to speed along the courting until finally they were getting married. Apparently she had been waiting for months for him to make his move, only obeying her parents' request of a proper courting. The wedding had been simple with food entirely made by Bombur and ending with a spectacular bang from a rather drunk Bofur.

Bombur had tried to help with Bifur. When his cousin had returned from the hospital he had made meals Bifur had once loved. But Bifur would not touch a single morsel of it. He turned away from meat to green foods. Bofur had tried to coax their cousin into eating a bit of venison one night and it had ended with Bifur leaping at a shouting Bofur. And then Dwalin had come. Bifur had leapt at the guard, fists flying. The move had landed him in jail for the next three days while Bombur and Bofur pleaded his case. Only after Oin agreed Bifur would go through therapy had the insane Dwarf been released. Dragging Bifur to therapy five times a week had proven nearly impossible unless they tricked him into it. Bombur had watched with horror as his once laughing cousin had dissolved into a mad Dwarf with no control or ability to stop. Bifur was insane.

Life had gone fairly well on the Blue Mountains. Bombur and his wife had been graced with three daughters and a son. Then one day Bofur had come home to announce he had quit his job in the mines. Bombur had been horrified. That job had brought in half the expenses it took to live in a house on the Blue Mountains. Bofur had then broken the news, he and Bifur would be joining the crew of Thorin Oakenshield aboard _the Arkenstone_ as engineers. Bombur had been rather upset about that until Thorin had asked him to join. His wife, seeing his eagerness, had urged him to go. Her only request was that he stop by the Blue Mountains once a year and message her and the children through the vein at least twice a week. Bombur had agreed, he could do that. And so he joined _the Arkenstone_ . . .

"As the chef?" Agent Smith said. The words jerked Bombur out of his wistful memories and he blinked in surprise. Agent Smith looked at him expectantly.

"Sorry?" Bombur said, and the agent sighed.

"I said, you were the chef?" Agent Smith repeated. Bombur nodded at that, lacing his fingers together. "It's rather odd Thorin decided to hire a chef when any other crew member would have done just as well, don't you think?" Bombur cocked his head, thinking through the question.

The guards didn't trust Bombur with handcuffs. Bombur suspected partially because he was too fat for them but he knew better than to accuse. The Government was too worried about his mass. He could have easily broken the handcuffs and attacked the Man before him. Therefore the Government had locked him in a room split in half by a glass wall. Bombur's side of the room would fill with a knock-out gas the moment he showed signs of threatening behavior. Bombur couldn't blame them. A rotund Dwarf could be a dangerous Dwarf.

"Not really," Bombur finally said, his voice carrying through the speaker in the glass wall. "Dwarves like good food."

"Is that why you decided to go into cooking?"

"Yes and no," Bombur said. "My mother taught me everything she knew when I was younger. She loved cooking more than anything else in the world. I wanted to make her proud."

"And what is the 'no' part?" Agent Smith asked. Bombur gave him a meaningful look and gestured to his immense size. "I . . . suppose I see what you mean."

"I'm not fit to work in the mines or the forge," Bombur said. "Cooking was the only other option I had."

"I see," Agent Smith said. He flipped through a manila folder before looking back up. "It says here you studied for thirteen years before joining a kitchen."

"Aye, that is correct."

"And that you were the Master Chef when you left?"

"Aye," Bombur said. "Have you started to notice a pattern among the crew?"

"I have," Agent Smith said, a small smile forming on his lips. "It seems you all had a promising life ahead of you and left. Why is that?"

"Because that life was good," Bombur explained. "But Thorin could do better. He could give us something we all wanted without knowing."

"And what was that?"

"Adventure. In the past five years I've gone to more places on that ship than I would have remaining a chef on the Blue Mountains."

"Do you ever regret your decision?"

"No, not once."

"Even with your children left behind on the Blue Mountains?"

"I miss them," Bombur admitted, scratching his chin. "But they are excited whenever they see me. I bring them presents whenever we visit. Are those all your questions?" Agent Smith scanned a document before sighing and nodding. "Alright, where did Ori leave off?"

"You had just been rescued by _the Eagles._"

"Alright," Bombur said with a nod. "We never expected those ships to be such a help to us after they'd rescued us, but they were . . ."

O.o.O

"What is everyone shouting about?"

Thorin would have laughed with the rest of the crew if it hadn't been for that _damn_ ship. _The Eagle_ that had scooped him up refused to relinquish its control of flight. Every button Thorin pressed, every switch flipped, every knob twist; each was countered by the ship's artificial intelligence and rerouted back to autopilot. Nearly every screen within Thorin's field of vision glowed a vibrant orange – one Thorin didn't like the looks of – accompanied by a warbling scream.

"Shut up, shut up, shut _up_," Thorin growled, slamming his hand against a console. Black squiggles ran across an orange screen to his left and the ship seemed to holler at him, the bench trembling beneath him. Gritting his teeth, Thorin attempted to turn the autopilot off again. The switch flipped back on and the ship chortled. Thorin glared at the screen to his right as though it had done him a personal insult. And, in his books, it had.

"If you do not allow me to fly at once," Thorin threatened. "You will regret it." The ship gave a warbled shriek at him and the screens flashed with crisscrossing black lines. "Shut up!" Thorin roared, hitting the console again. The ship shrieked at him once more. Thorin grumbled to himself as he returned his grip to the handles in front of. His grumbles turned to shouts when silver cuffs looped out of the railing and locked out of his wrists. He wrenched at the cuffs but his wrists were trapped.

"Release me!" Thorin shouted at the ship. _The Eagle_ just chortled at him and seemed to relax now that Thorin had been properly restrained. "Bofur!"

"What are ya shoutin' about over there, Thorin?" Bofur asked, a hint of humor in his voice. Thorin glared at the intercom darkly.

"This ship of yours has handcuffed me to the controls," Thorin said. His engineer fell silent for a moment while he did whatever it took to examine Thorin's ship. Bofur's voice returned moments later. He spoke through clearly suppressed laughter.

"She doesn't want ya flyin'," the engineer said. Nori howled with laughter at that and Thorin thought he heard Kili make a snide comment to Fili. "She can tell ya don't know the first thin' about flyin'."

"I am a fine flyer," Thorin argued.

"Then why do you have two pilots?" Kili asked.

"Do you value your life?"

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say yes is the right answer."

"Good lad," Thorin said with a smile. The smile dropped when no amount of tugging freed his wrists from their restraints. The ship's orange screens had slowly faded first to a red then to a soft purple and finally to a blue. Thorin could only guess the color meant the ship was happy.

Thorin turned his attention to the scene outside the windshield. From what he could remember it had taken a few hours for the Goblins' ship to reach the moon. _The Eagles_ moved at a faster pace than the Goblins' ship had. They still had a ways to go before they left the moon's atmosphere, though. _The Eagles_ seemed to know which direction they needed to head, each following Bofur's lead. Gandalf's _Eagle_ – _Gwahir _, if the name emblazoned on the side meant anything – eased past Thorin's on its way to the front. Thorin followed it with his eyes before frowning.

"_Eagle_," he said clearly. A blue screen above him and to the right pinged brightly, turning a bright blue. "How many ships are here?" The blue screen fizzled slightly. One by one, fifteen red blinking dots appeared on the screen. "How many of the ships carry heat signatures?" The screen fizzled again, this time turning a slight greenish color, before each red dot was circled by a black ring. "But how is that possible?" Thorin breathed.

"Bofur," Thorin said, turning back to the intercom. "Did you find Bilbo?"

"Oh aye, didn't we tell ya?" Bofur said. "He ran inta us before we were attacked by the Goblins."

"Bilbo's alive?" Ori's excited voice carried through the intercom.

"Aye," Bofur repeated. "He was the first _the Eagles_ picked up."

"Thank Mahal," Balin said. Thorin rested his forehead against the bench before him, sighing in relief through his nose. The Halfling was alive. He hadn't died a painful death at the hands of the Goblins.

A warbling shriek from the ship snapped Thorin's attention back. The ship's screens had turned white with red streaks racing across them. Thorin had a single moment to wonder what was going on before the ship lurched beneath him. It spun sideways one hundred and eighty degrees then came to a complete stop. Thorin clutched at the controls throughout the entire process as he found himself tossed hard against the harness holding him down. The ship had begun to fly backward – to Thorin's bemusement – and he soon saw why: five Goblin ships had pursued them from the moon.

"Dwalin! Gloin!" Thorin roared. "With me. The rest of you, get back to the ship."

"What is it, Thorin?" Dwalin demanded.

"Goblins," Thorin growled out. Flexing his fingers, he leaned forward against the bench. "Let me see what you can do, _Ùhùrud_." The ship hummed in approval, the screen turning a violent shade of blue. Dwalin's and Gloin's ship flanked Thorin's and the three _Eagles_ shot toward the advancing Goblins. Thorin's thumb hovered over a red button, and he prayed it did what he thought it would. A screen to Thorin's left faded black and then back to blue, graced by a set of crosshairs.

"Ready when you are," Thorin muttered. The crosshairs flitted over three of the Goblin ships before it settled on the one in the middle. The two ships neared one another with every second. Thorin swallowed hard, his thumb a centimeter away from the red button. Either _the Eagle's_ purring engine had grown louder or he could hear the blood pumping through his ears. A blaring squawk erupted throughout the ship and the crosshairs flashed red. Thorin smashed down the red button.

_Fwump_. Liquid fire shot from a weapon in the belly of the ship. Barley a shudder ran through the ship with the move. Thorin watched as the liquid fire flew through the air and struck the Goblin ship. The metal sheeting of the ship bubbled under the extreme heat, falling off in melting chunks. Thorin jammed the button down a few more times. Each press brought forth a new round of liquid fire. _Ùhùrud_ soared over the burning ship and rounded on the next. Thorin could spot another ship plummeting to the moon's surface under the combined efforts of Dwalin and Gloin. The Goblin ship _Ùhùrud_ had chosen fired a round of ammo at Thorin's ship. _Ùhùrud_ swerved sideways and easily dodged the attack along with the next and the next.

"The belly," Thorin said. A screen to his right gave a questioning _whoop whoop_. "How is the sheeting in the belly of the ship?" The ship fell silent for a moment as it dodged another round of ammo before the screen trilled excitedly. _Hold on_, it seemed to say. And hold on Thorin did.

_Ùhùrud_ flipped backward through the air and dove downward. Thorin clutched at the controls, thankful for a moment he had been cuffed to them. He wasn't sure he could have held on otherwise. _Ùhùrud_ flew in a complete loop before it righted itself and shot up at the Goblin ship's belly. Thorin pummeled the button under his thumb. Glob after glob of liquid fire shot at the thin sheeting, connecting with their targets. _Ùhùrud_ dodged sideways as a particularly large chunk of metal fell past them. Thorin gritted his teeth against the sharp movements, firing more fire at the ship.

"Get us out of here!" Thorin roared. _Ùhùrud_ gave a series of agreeing beeps before it dove sideways. They had just barely escaped from directly beneath the ship when what could have only been the engine fell through the melting metal. The ship followed soon after in a downward spiral toward the earth. _Ùhùrud_ slowed to a stop and spun around to examine the battlefield. Dwalin had just finished raining fire down on the last Goblin ship, sending the vessel to its death below. Thorin huffed in satisfaction, running his thumb against the controls.

"Good job," he said softly. _Ùhùrud_ hummed in approval. "Now release me." The screens flickered a violent shade of purple and the ship trilled. Thorin frowned at it.

"That's all of them," Dwalin's voice carried through the intercom. "It doesn't look like anymore are comin'."

"Make for the ship," Thorin ordered. _Ùhùrud_ turned away from the fallen Goblin ships. The engine's purring increased in volume and the ship shot away from the moon. Thorin relaxed against the bench, exhaustion rolling over him in waves.

The trip out of the moon's atmosphere took a shorter amount of time than Thorin had thought it would. The ship had begun to almost whistle to itself, as though it was singing a song to stave off the boredom. Thorin sat back and listened to the song. Slowly the clouds of the moon dissipated. _Ùhùrud _left the weather of the atmosphere behind in exchange for the black sky and twinkling stars. Dwalin's _Eagle_ appeared beside _Ùhùrud_, the Dwarf resting his arms on the bench. He nodded a greeting to Thorin who returned it.

"How far do you think they got?" Dwalin asked.

"I do not know," Thorin said. He turned his attention back to _Ùhùrud_. "How far away is _the Arkenstone_?" The ship paused in its whistling to trill thoughtfully. The screen to Thorin's right flickered to a green monitor. Two red dots appeared on it, lines running between the two dots accompanied by Dwarvish runes.

"They are several miles away," Thorin told his friend. "It may take us a few hours to reach them."

"If we don't run into anymore Goblins," Dwalin grumbled. Thorin had to agree with him. The Misty Mountains were crawling with Goblins and Orcs, infested one could say. _Ùhùrud_ gave a questioning coo and Thorin smiled, rubbing his thumb against the controls.

"We'll be alright," he said.

Several hours passed during the flight back to _the Arkenstone_. Thorin spent the time trying to get _Ùhùrud_ to release his wrists: he begged, threatened, coerced, and even went so far as to promise it a pile of gold. Nothing he said would make the ship release him. It simply trilled and chortled through all his words, squealing unhappily when he threatened to have it disassembled. The small electric shock sent through the bench made Thorin wonder if he had gone a step too far with that one.

_The Arkenstone_ loomed ahead, her back end glowing a brilliant red with the running engine. The cargo bay's ramp slid open partially as _the Eagles_ drew near. _Ùhùrud_ shot through the widening crack and came to a hovering stop in the environmental chamber. Gloin and Dwalin's ships quickly followed and the ramp whirred shut with a resounding slam. A hissing sound filled the chamber as the environment stabilized to match that of _the Arkenstone's_ interior. _Ùhùrud_ shot through the doors once they had opened. The other _Eagles_ had been parked beneath the gangways lining the walls. _Ùhùrud_ looped around the cargo bay once then settled down between two other ships.

The cuffs looped around Thorin's wrists retracted. The harness unlocked and drew back. Pushing himself upright, Thorin watched as the glass and metal panels folded back into a wide opening. Thorin stood and vaulted himself over the edge of the ship. The panels folded back shut the moment his feet hit the floor. _Ùhùrud_ drew its wings to its sides. The head of the ship moved upward and backward to rest on its back. It reminded Thorin of a resting bird.

"Bofur's outdone himself this time," Dwalin said as he approached his captain. He clapped Thorin on the shoulder in greeting. "We were lucky today."

"This was not luck," Thorin said. Turning away from the ship, he made his way toward the stairs to the gangway. "There is no luck out here for us." No response came from Dwalin as Thorin marched up the stairs. Nori leaned against the doorway with crossed arms, watching his captain approach.

"Nori," Thorin greeted. His thief nodded in greeting but didn't move. Thorin sighed and gave him a pointed look. Nori still didn't move. Instead, his eyes flicked up to the rafters. Turning, Thorin could just barely make out Bilbo's small form. "How is he?"

"Injured," Nori said. Thorin's head snapped back to him. Nori shrugged and straightened up. "He bolted for his hideout the minute his ship opened."

"He cannot be too badly injured if he can climb up there," Thorin said. He made to ascend the stairs but a hand from Nori stopped him.

"Oin wants to give him an examination," Nori told Thorin. "I saw a Goblin slice him in the back during the battle." Thorin turned to look back at the Hobbit. Indeed, he could see a spot of red on Bilbo's lower back.

"Call him down," Thorin said.

"We tried that," Nori told him. "But he took the translators out." Thorin watched the Hobbit shift on his platform, thinking. Finally, he beckoned for Dwalin. His friend stormed up the stairs toward them, giving Nori a suspicious look.

"What is it?" Dwalin asked. "Did Nori do somethin' to the engine again?"

"No," Nori said with a hurt expression. "When did I ever do that?"

"Your third day on the ship."

"That wasn't my fault!"

"I think Bofur would disagree."

"Enough, you two," Thorin said in a hushed voice. Dwalin and Nori snapped their mouths shut, turning their attention back to the captain. "Dwalin, go find Kili, Ori, and Bofur. Bring them back here."

"Aye," Dwalin said hesitantly, though he didn't question Thorin. He disappeared up the stairs and left Thorin with only Nori for company. A silence fell between the two Dwarves, broken when Gloin clumped up the stairs and slipped past them.

"What do you need those three for?" Nori finally asked. Thorin ignored him but grabbed the thief by the arm when Nori turned to leave. Nori gave him a confused look.

"I need you here too," Thorin said in an explanation. Nori leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms.

"What are you up to, Thorin?" Thorin didn't answer as he relaxed against the railing of the gangway. Several minutes passed before Dwalin returned with Kili, Ori, and Bofur in tow. Bofur gave his friend a questioning look but Nori just shrugged.

"What's going on?" Kili asked. Thorin raised a finger to his lips. His nephew's mouth snapped shut with a click.

"Bilbo is injured," Thorin said in a hushed voice. The Dwarves leaned in to hear him better. "We need to get him to Oin."

"How do we do that?" Bofur asked. "Bilbo's stubborn when he wants ta be." Thorin hesitated before answering.

"Flush him," he said. Ori's eyes widened and Bofur shook his head.

"No," Bofur argued. "That's Bilbo's private area. We don't go up there unless he invites us. What if he falls?"

"There is a net to catch him," Thorin said. Dwalin crossed his arms and turned his eyes up to Bilbo.

"We'd be invadin' his privacy," Bofur said.

"Bilbo is injured," Thorin said. "If we leave him be infection could set in. I think we all know what an infection could do to a person." Ori swallowed hard, turning his eyes to Bilbo.

"What do we do?" the youngest Dwarf asked.

"I want you four to climb up into the rafters," Thorin said. "Chase him out of his area and try to get him to fall into the net below."

"Spider in the net," Dwalin said softly. Thorin nodded. Bofur looked ready to argue but Nori elbowed him hard in the side. The engineer grunted, rubbing the injured area.

"Fine," Bofur said. He pointed an accusing finger at Thorin. "But ya have ta promise a Bilbo Pampering Day." Thorin nodded in agreement, ignoring Nori's snickers.

"Into the rafters," Thorin ordered.

Kili, Nori, Ori, and Bofur spread out along the two sides of the cargo bay. A nod from Thorin sent them all climbing up lines of hooks. Nori arrived in the rafters first, hauling himself up onto a beam. He steadied himself before trotting along the metal beam to Bilbo's platform. Thorin watched as the thief crouched down and spoke to Bilbo in a low voice, leaping back when Bilbo struck out at him.

"Bilbo!" Nori's voice carried down from the rafters.

Thorin nodded to Dwalin and they split up. Thorin stalked along the gangway, his eyes following the Dwarves in the rafters. Kili and Bofur had finally reached Bilbo's platform. It wasn't until Ori had arrived there that Bilbo reacted. The Hobbit gave an almost comical squeal and leapt up from his platform, darting away from the four Dwarves.

"Darn it!" Nori shouted. "I almost had him."

"He was tryin' ta hit ya," Bofur argued. Kili darted pats him after Bilbo who had begun to make his way to another platform.

"Just get him," Noir snapped at Bofur before racing after Bilbo. Bofur made a face at his friend's back and follow him. Ori trotted unsurely after them.

Thorin watched as the four Dwarves herded Bilbo into the center of the rafters. At a nod from his captain, Nori launched himself sideways and into Bilbo. The Dwarf and Hobbit were sent tumbling into the net below with a yelp from Bilbo. The moment they landed, Dwalin crawled onto the net. The sturdy woven ropes jumped under his moves. Bilbo struggled to his feet but Nori pulled him back down with a hand from his belt. Dwalin finally reached the wrestling friends, wrapping his arms around Bilbo.

"Got him," Dwalin shouted.

"Bring him here," Thorin ordered. Dwalin kept one strong arm wrapped around Bilbo's waist and used the other to support himself across the net. No matter how much Bilbo squealed and struggled the warrior didn't let go. Once he reached the edge of the net, Dwalin deposited Bilbo into Thorin's arms. Thorin wrapped his arms around Bilbo's waist, holding the Hobbit like a child. Bilbo struck him on the back, yelling in Hobbitish, but Thorin ignored him.

"Let's get him to Oin," Thorin said. Dwalin launched himself off the net, landing with a heavy thump. At the word 'Oin' Bilbo did the one thing Thorin had hoped he never would. He screamed. It wasn't just an upset scream or a terrified yelp. It was a high-pitched wailing siren that meant no to the highest degree. It meant 'let me go' and 'I beg of you'. Thorin hadn't heard the sound since Bilbo had first awoke on the ship. Up in the rafters Bofur's face twisted into an upset expression and he turned away.

"It will be alright," Thorin murmured in Bilbo's pointed ear. The Hobbit continued his animalistic scream, beating at Thorin's back as the Dwarf made his way toward the stairs. Dwalin followed him up the stairs and through the second level, into the medical bay. Oin looked up at their arrival. His eyes widened when he saw the squirming Hobbit.

"What happened?" Oin asked loudly. Dwalin slid the medical bay door shut and locked it behind himself. Thorin deposited Bilbo on the examination table and placed a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder to keep him there. Bilbo took a deep breath, screaming high and loud. Oin looked between the three arrivals in confusion.

"Bilbo was injured in the Goblins' cave," Dwalin said. Oin sighed and nodded.

"I thought as much," the medic said. "The poor laddie looked sore when he climbed out of his ship."

"Nori said he was sliced by a Goblin," Thorin said. He flinched when Bilbo struck him in the face. Dwalin marched up behind the Hobbit and wrapped a paw around Bilbo's wrists, holding them behind his back. Bilbo screamed again, this time wailing helplessly.

"I'll need his clothes off," Oin said. "Just the top, mind you. I'm sure Bilbo wouldn't appreciate being embarrassed." Thorin and Dwalin looked to each other before Thorin sighed, nodding reluctantly.

Removing Bilbo's clothes proved to be harder feat than was necessary. The Hobbit squirmed and squealed throughout the process. He would wrench his arm from a Dwarf's grip or kick them hard in the leg. A moment passed during which Dwalin had managed to jerk Bilbo's overcoat off his shoulder. The Hobbit had slid from the coat easily and thrown himself off the table, fleeing for the door. Strong hands on his shoulders from Thorin had pulled him backward the Hobbit had resumed his screaming. Finally, Thorin and Dwalin managed to remove the Hobbit's waistcoat – the buttons missing, Thorin noted – and peeled his shirt off. The shirt was beyond saving, stained with dried blood and grime. Thorin paused when Bilbo's overcoat hit the ground with a solid _thunk_.

"Just relax, laddie," Oin said soothingly. Bilbo punched him in the nose. The medic blinked in surprise then nodded to Dwalin and Thorin.

"Dammit," Dwalin muttered under his breath. "I was hopin' we wouldn't have to do this again."

"He might hate us for it," Oin agreed. "But it needs to be done."

Thorin and Dwalin both grabbed an elbow and knee. Bilbo realized what was happening too late and screamed again. Together, the two Dwarves lifted the Hobbit into the air and flipped him onto his stomach. Oin busied himself with wrapping the straps around Bilbo's ankles and wrists. He hesitated at the Hobbit's waist, though.

"I don't want to hurt him anymore," Oin said over Bilbo's screams.

"Here," Dwalin said. He undid the strap for Bilbo's waist from the examination table and moved it up to chest-height. Bilbo's screams turned to sobs as the strap was tightened across his back. Dwalin fetched another strap from the cupboard and tied this one over Bilbo's thighs to hold him down.

"It's alright, laddie," Oin cooed, stroking Bilbo's hair. The Hobbit's sniffled and turned his face away from Oin. The move revealed his bloody ear. "What's this?" the medic commented. Bilbo stiffened when Oin's fingers brushed against his bloody ear.

"Will it need stitching?" Thorin asked. Oin folded the ear over, a confused expression on his face.

"Dwalin," the medic said. "Bring me a wet cloth." The warrior hastened to obey, soaking a cloth in the sink and wringing it out before handing it to Oin. The medic wiped away the dried blood then set the cloth aside. He folded the ear this way and that, examining it from every angle.

"Oin?" Thorin said. His medic looked at him with confused eyes. "What is it?"

"It's healed," Oin told him. Leaning forward, Thorin examined the Hobbit's ear for himself. Scar tissue curved around the ear perfectly, looking weeks old.

"How is this possible?" Thorin asked. Oin could only shake his head, lost for an answer.

"What about his leg?" Dwalin asked. He snatched the wet cloth from beside Oin and used it to wipe the blood away from Bilbo's left calf. Oin examined the scar there and scratched his chin in confusion.

"I don't understand," the medic said. "Hobbits do not have any ability to heal themselves. These look like the work of medical mites."

"There's nothin' but Goblins on the Mountains," Dwalin said. "And they don't have medical mites down there."

"How else would these injuries heal so quickly?" Oin asked the warrior. Dwalin hesitated, searching for answer, before he shrugged. Bilbo tugged weakly against the restraints and Thorin laid a comforting hand on his calf.

"Check his back," Thorin ordered. Dwalin passed Oin the wet cloth. Wiping away the blood, Oin examined the fresh scar. He ran a finger along the healed skin and Bilbo yelped.

"This one is still tender," Oin muttered. "Dwalin, fetch the x-ray pad. Thorin, spread the gel over his lower back." Dwalin tossed Thorin the tube of gel and dug in the drawer for the blue pad. Squirting the gel onto Bilbo's skin, Thorin spread it carefully with a finger. Bilbo whimpered pathetically, pressing his face into the examination table.

"That's enough," Oin said. Thorin pulled back, wiping his fingers on his pants. Oin laid the blue pad along Bilbo's back and pressed down lightly. "Alright, I'll need the lights off for this." Dwalin hurried to flick the lights off, plunging the room into darkness. Several seconds passed during which Oin fiddled with a remote. Finally, a small screen on the wall flickered on with an x-ray of Bilbo's lower back. Oin examined the screen for several minutes.

"Well?" Dwalin finally demanded. Oin waved a hand at him and continued to examine it. Eventually he pulled back and nodded to Dwalin who flicked the lights back on.

"A few of his vertebrae have been knocked out of place," the medic said. "The tissue and discs have already healed in place."

"The mysterious medical mites?" Thorin asked. Oin nodded. "What can you do about it?" Oin hesitated before answering.

"I would recommend surgery," he said. "To move the vertebrae back into their proper place."

"I hear a 'but' in there," Dwalin growled.

"There is always a 'but'," Oin snapped back. "If there are medical mites in Bilbo then they could hinder the surgery. I would need an EMP blast before I tried to do the surgery." Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking through his options. Seeming to read his mind, Oin continued. "If the vertebrae are left where they are then Bilbo could find himself in extreme pain in a few weeks' time, maybe even a few days." Thorin made up his mind.

"Find Bofur," Thorin told Dwalin. "Get the EMP generator from him."

"Bofur has an EMP generator?" Dwalin asked in disbelief.

"He has to," Oin said. "With the amount of time he spends tinkering in the engine room. Go get it." Dwalin gave them both dubious looks before he unlocked the medical bay doors and left. "Might as well prepare Bilbo for surgery," the medic said once the warrior had left. Thorin turned back to watch as Oin gathered the supplies.

"What can I do?" Thorin asked.

"Get an anesthesia mask on him," Oin ordered, nodding to a cupboard. "Better to put him under now rather than later."

Opening the cupboard, Thorin found the mask. He positioned the rubber medical piece over Bilbo's mouth and nose. The Hobbit watched him with a glassy expression, a tear running down his face. Thorin wiped it away with a thumb before moving on to lock the mask behind Bilbo's head. Oin connected the other end of the instrument to a tube, fiddling with a series of dials. A hissing sound emitted from the machine. Slowly, Bilbo's eyes slid shut and his breathing deepened.

"And now we wait." Oin said.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Ùhùrud means 'battle' in Khuzdul._

_We have finished with the first movie! 22 chapters . . . now I'm scared. Onto the second movie! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	24. Trial and Terror

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit._

A/N: _Hey everyone,_

_Here you are. Sorry it was a bit late, I was too tired to write a chapter last night. I'm not even going to bother promising another chapter tonight. I never seem to keep those promises. Sorry._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Trial and Terror<strong>

"That's the best I can do," Oin said, setting the surgical tools aside. "Now we just have to wait and see what happens." Thorin pulled his hands away from Bilbo's back.

Dwalin had returned with an EMP generator – to both Bofur's confusion and his own bafflement – not five minutes after Thorin had sent him. Following Bofur's careful instructions, they had connected small, round sensors to Bilbo's shoulders and hips. Oin had been the one to press the button, waiting a few seconds before he had pulled the sensors away. Thorin and Dwalin had helped with the surgery as best they could. Neither Dwarf had served in the medical area of the military, preferring to deal out the injuries themselves. Though they did know basic first aid.

"Will he be alright?" Dwlain asked Oin. The medic could only sigh and shake his head.

"Only time can tell," he said. "If I'm right, the EMP should wear off in a matter of minutes. Bilbo's back will heal back together with a small scar and then we'll have our hands full of an angry Hobbit."

"Thank you, Oin," Thorin said. And he meant it. He had been so preoccupied with the idea of reclaiming Erebor he had nearly forgotten Gandalf's words. There would have no point in returning to the Lonely Mountain if the one they were going for was dead.

"I'm the medic," Oin said with a roll of his eyes. "It's my job to take care of the injured." Snapping the blue gloves off, he tossed them into the trash. Thorin slipped his own off and balled them up.

"Aye, well, we all need to take better care of Bilbo," Dwalin said. He tossed his own gloves into the trash, pausing when he noticed Thorin and Oin's stares. "Gloin told me on the flight over: Bilbo's scared of fallin'. He thinks no one's goin' to be there to catch him if he does." Oin shook his head in disbelief.

"The poor laddie," he said. "How long do you think he's been alone for?"

"Apparently he's a bachelor," Dwalin said. Thorin leaned against the counter behind him, listening intently. "Doesn't have any siblings or cousins close to his age. His parents died a few years ago."

"Then he has been on his own for some time now," Thorin said. He turned his gaze to the peaceful face of the Hobbit.

"Maybe that's why he agreed with Gandalf on going to the Government," Dwalin suggested. "He didn't have anythin' to stay for."

"Perhaps," Thorin agreed. Oin's eyes flicked down and the medic stiffened. Thorin straightened up. All three Dwarves watched as Bilbo's skin seemed to knit itself back together. A smooth scar ran along the freshly healed injury.

"That's somethin' you don't see every day," Dwlain breathed.

"I've seen it enough with this laddie," Oin said. He grabbed a small device from a counter: a small, handheld gadget with a wire connecting to a wand-like probe. Thorin watched as the medic ran the probe along Bilbo's body twice, finally stopping at the Hobbit's lungs when the gadget went ballistic beeping.

"What's that mean?" Dwalin asked. Oin set the probe aside and pulled a sensor from a drawer, plugging its wire into the gadget.

"That is the heart of the medical mite infestation," Oin said, fiddling with the gadget. He taped the sensor on Bilbo's back over his lungs. "It will be better to eradicate the mites here where they're more gathered."

"Makes sense," Dwalin said.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Thorin asked his medic.

"You can hold this," Oin said. Thorin accepted the offered gadget. "I want you to watch the screen and tell me when it's cleared off all medical mites."

"Alright," Thorin said hesitantly. Red dots swarmed across the green screen, scattering about like insects. It made Thorin nervous. Had he been allowing Oin to put these things in his body the entire time?

"Dwalin, hold this," Oin said, handing Dwalin the EMP generator. Dwalin took the device hesitantly.

"Are you goin' to use this again?" he asked.

"No," Oin said. "But with you two buffoons in here together, something's going to get broken. I'd rather it not be one of Bofur's gadgets." Dwalin glared at him while Thorin hid a smile. Oin pressed a square, red pad beside the sensor of the gadget. He held a remote in his other hand.

"Alright," the medic said. "Stay sharp, Thorin." Thorin turned his eyes back down to the gadget's screen. Oin pressed a red button on a remote. A yellow light blinked on the red pad three times before it turned green. The red dots skittering across the screen vanished first one by one until it multiplied. The screen was left bare.

"All clear," Thorin said. Oin nodded to him and he set the gadget aside. "Make sure Bilbo is comfortable when he wakes up," he told the medic. "Dwalin, I want you to . . . Dwalin?" The taller Dwarf stared at the gadget in Thorin's hand. He raised a shaking finger to point at it. Thorin turned his gaze back down. Red dots multiplied across the screen even as he watched. "Oin!" Thorin roared. The medic snatched the gadget from him and stared at the screen in disbelief.

"But that's not possible," Oin said. Dwalin caught the gadget as it was tossed aside carelessly. Oin grabbed the remote and pressed down on the red button once more. The yellow and green lights flashed. The three Dwarves held their breath as they watched the screen. First the red dots symbolizing the mites died away before returning with a vigor. Oin jammed the button down five more times. Each attempt was followed by the mass reproduction of the medical mites.

"How's that happenin'?" Dwalin demanded, looking up from the screen. Oin's eyes had gone wide with his growing disbelief.

"I-I don't know," Oin said.

"We need Bofur down here," Thorin said. Turning to the intercom system, he jammed the black button down. "Bofur, get down the medical bay now!" He released the button and stepped back. None of the Dwarves spoke in the short amount of time it took for Bofur to make his way to the medical bay. The engineer stepped through the doors, a smear of grease on his cheek.

"Somethin' wron', Thorin?" Bofur asked. His eyes flicked to the sleeping Bilbo then to the horrified expressions of Dwalin and Oin. "Did Dwalin eat somethin' bad fer his pipes again?" The joke didn't lighten the mood.

"Explain this," Thorin said, shoving the gadget into Bofur's hands. Oin pressed the button one more time. Bofur watched in growing wonder as the red dots vanished then duplicated.

"Are these my medical mites?" he asked Thorin once the screen had filled once more.

"No," Oin said, answering for the captain. "Those have been in Bilbo ever since we got back here."

"But how's that possible?" Bofur asked. Oin could only shrug in answer. The engineer thought for a moment before he peeled the sensor from Bilbo's back, the screen going blank, and turned to Dwalin. "Give me yer arm, big guy."

"Why? What are you goin' to-hey!" Dwalin exclaimed as Bofur slapped the sensor on his bare arm. The green screen filled with red dots.

"Thorin," Bofur said, peeling the sensor from Dwalin's arm. Thorin offered out his own arm. Oin was next, pulling his own sleeve up. Bofur tested himself, watching the screen with a furrowed expression.

"Well?" Oin demanded.

"W-We all have them," Bofur said. His confused eyes turned up to Thorin. "But that's not possible. None of us have been near any medical mites." Thorin scratched his beard, thinking through his options. He could name only one person who might have the slightest idea of what was happening.

"Then how are we all infested with them?" Dwalin asked.

"I don't know," Bofur said. "Maybe the Elves did it back on Rivendell."

"Not possible," Oin said with a shake of his head. "We would have noticed something. Thorin, where are you going?" Thorin ignored the medic's shouts as he left the medical bay. He raced through the dining room and up the stairs to the cockpit. Gandalf turned at his arrival, a smile growing on his lips.

"Ah, Thorin," he said. "How is Bilbo doing?"

"The medical mites," Thorin growled out. Fili turned to look at him in confusion. Kili's head popped up from the lower levels of the cockpit. "Where did they come from?"

"What medical mites?" Gandalf asked with a frown.

"Bilbo is infested with medical mites," Thorin said. "We all are. Bofur tested all of us."

"Can't Oin just order them to self-destruct?" Fili asked. He withered under his uncle's cold eyes.

"He tried that, seven times."

"Seven," Gandalf repeated. "Medical mite infestations? I have not heard of this kind of problem before. Are you certain the machine was not simply acting up?"

"It was Bofur's invention," Thorin said. "Bofur's machines are never wrong."

"There's always the chance," Kili offered. He tumbled backward down the stairs when Thorin looked to him.

"Something tells me this was not Bofur's fault," Thorin said.

"Yes," Gandalf agreed, leaning against his staff. "That would help to explain _the Eagles'_ presence on the Misty Mountains. Perhaps my friend will be able to help us."

"What friend?" Thorin demanded. "What course have you set us on?"

"We are still going to Erebor," Gandalf assured the Dwarf. "But we are stopping by a friend's house for rest and supplies."

"Your friends are hardly friendly."

"Now really, Thorin, that was one time."

"They hung us by meat hooks."

"It was a misunderstanding."

"Meat hooks, Gandalf, meat hooks!"

"I got a bloody nose from that one," Kili said, his voice muffled by the distance. "And I think Fili threw up."

"Shut up," Fili told his brother. Gandalf turned back to Thorin with a meaningful expression.

"There will be no hanging from meat hooks this time," he said firmly. "Beorn can be temperamental at times, but he is a good host. Perhaps he will know something about the Misty Mountains that could help us."

"Where does he live?" Thorin asked.

"On a small moon near Carrock," Gandalf said. "It is on the way to Erebor so we should not lose any time on our journey."

"Carrock? That is on the edge of the Greenwood," Thorin said.

"The Mirkwood," Gandalf correct. Thorin frowned at him in confusion. "An illness has fallen over that moon. The Men who live near it are calling it Mirkwood now."

"And that's not creepy at all," Fili muttered under his breath. Thorin smacked his nephew upside the head. Fili had the grace to look ashamed of himself. "Sorry, Thorin."

"You would have had to go to Mirkwood anyway," Gandalf reminded Thorin who frowned at him. "Beorn will be able to give you supplies and rest before you begin your journey through that dead space."

"How far away does he live?" Thorin asked.

"Less than a day's flight from here," Gandalf answered. Thorin huffed and ran a hand through his hair. There would be no point in arguing with Gandalf. Half the time the wizard didn't listen anyway.

"Is this where you will be leaving us?" Thorin asked.

"After I speak with Beorn, yes."

"What of the pod we lost on the Misty Mountains? Do you need the other pod prepared for journey?"

"I was intending on taking _Gwahir._ _The Eagle _has grown quite fond of me."

"Besides," Kili said from below. "I recalled that pod from the Misty Mountains. It's recharging right now." Gandalf turned to Thorin looking a bit smug.

"There you are, Thorin Oakenshield," he said. "You still have four pods, an entire crew, and a straight journey to Erebor."

"Indeed," Thorin agreed. "Kili, Fili, I want you to head down to the medical bay when you get the chance. Have yourself tested by Bofur for medical mites." Kili and Fili looked to each other nervously before they nodded. "I will be seeing you two at dinner tonight." Thorin clapped Fili on the shoulder before turning and leaving. Bifur poked his head out from the engine room but said nothing to stop his captain.

Thorin arrived in the dining area just in time to see Dori taking Bilbo's clothes from Dwalin. The shorter Dwarf nodded to something Dwalin had said and turned away back toward the sleeping quarters. Thorin watched him go before turning to Dwalin in slight confusion.

"He's repairin' Bilbo's clothes," Dwalin said. "I asked if he could make some gauntlets for Bilbo too."

"Gauntlets for what?" Thorin asked, his confusion growing. Dwalin hesitated for a moment before he spoke.

"Bilbo bites himself in his sleep," the taller Dwarf said. Thorin's eyebrows rose up his forehead. "I wanted Dori to make somethin' for him so he'll stop hurtin' himself."

"Very well," Thorin said. He stood at the base of the stairs, watching Dwalin. The taller Dwarf made no move to leave the dining area. His right hand dipped into his pocket and his fingers close around something. Thorin frowned. "What is it, Dwalin?"

"I found somethin' in Bilbo's pocket," Dwalin said hesitantly. Thorin nodded for him to continue. "Bilbo must have found it on the Misty Mountains."

"What is it?" Thorn asked curiously. Dwalin drew his hand out of his pocket and opened his palm for Thorin to look. A gold ring sat there, nestled against the knuckledusters.

"A ring?" Thorin asked, looking up to his friend. "What is so strange about a ring? Bilbo might have had from the Shire System."

"I doubt it," Dwalin said. He closed his hand once more. "Bilbo doesn't have anything from the Shire System. Those smugglers took everything he had."

"Very well, what makes you so nervous about this ring?"

"I don't like it. It feels wrong."

Thorin looked down at the ring. It looked normal enough to him: a single round band clean of any markings.

"It is a ring," Thorin said. Dwalin nodded, still looking nervous. In the end Thorin sighed. "Have Bofur take a look at it, or else wait until Bilbo wakes up." Dwalin nodded eagerly and trotted off to find Bofur, leaving his captain to wonder the abilities of the ring. Something didn't sit right with Thorin about it.

O.o.O

_He couldn't move. His back screamed in pain at the point where it had broken. His arms refused to obey the commands his brain sent them. He could only lay on the stone path and listen as the hissing voice drew nearer and nearer._

"_Where iss it? Give it to uss? We wantss our preciouss."_

'_Please,' Bilbo thought to himself. 'Someone help me. Don't let him get me.' He heard the sound of bare feet and hands on the floor drawing near. A tear ran down his cheek, plopping uselessly on the stone beneath him._

"_Give it back." A hands grabbed at Bilbo's legs. They crawled up his calves and past his hips until they wrapped around Bilbo's throat. Gollum's teeth clicked beside Bilbo's ear as he spoke. "You sstole it from uss. You sstole our preciouss."_

'_I didn't steal anything,' Bilbo wanted to scream. His lungs refused to work, though. His tongue moved and his throat choked but no words came out. Gollum's lamp-like eyes lowered down until they were level with Bilbo's own. Bilbo's stomach twisted at the fury in them._

"_Give it to uss," Gollum hissed. Those long, cold fingers tightened their grip. Bilbo's heart leapt as his throat was crushed, his airflow constricted. "No mother down here to ssave you. No friendss to help you."_

'_Dwalin,' Bilbo pleaded. 'Please. Bofur, Dwalin, Kili . . . anyone.' He couldn't breathe. Black dots swarmed across his vision. His heart battered against his rib cage. His lungs screamed for the air he was refused. Bilbo shut his eyes tight, willing his body to move. The blood pounded through his ears. He was going to die, alone and helpless. No one would save him._

Bilbo bolted upright from the platform, gasping for breath. He raised a hand to his throat. The skin was still cool under his touch, no bruising of any kind. It had all been a dream. Falling back, Bilbo heaved a sigh of relief. He was alive. Gollum hadn't come to kill him. It had all been a nightmare.

"_The itsy bitsy fly."_

Bilbo swore he would never stay up that late ever again. Next time he would obey Oin like a puppy and scoot off to bed.

"_Caught in a web."_

Throwing a hand over his eyes, Bilbo sighed hard through his nose. It had been a long day on the ship. Kili had wanted to play Spider in the Net again, but Bilbo hadn't quite been up for it. His back still ached occasionally from the surgery Oin had done.

"_Why does it cry?"_

Bilbo froze at the clicking words. He knew those voices. They hissed and popped with everything they spoke. His breath caught in his throat at the next words.

"_Soon you'll be dead."_

Hands grabbed Bilbo from behind and threw him off the platform. He barely had a moment to scream, or even consider it, when he hit the net below. The net jumped with his landing and he was tossed in the air. Something landed behind him, jostling his next landing.

"_A tasty fly for a tasty lunch."_

Long fingers grabbed at Bilbo. He screamed and struggled but they held fast. They grabbed his ankles, pulling his legs out straight. More hands joined them and grabbed his wrists. Together the hands flipped Bilbo over. He found himself staring at tall Men dressed in black, their bulbous goggles hiding their eyes.

"_Wrap him up tight,"_ the voices clicked. Bilbo swore he could hear laughter in them as his heart sped up. He struggled wildly and screamed for help as they wrapped his arms and legs to the net with bindings. Nothing he did stopped them. They laughed and clicked to each other. The bindings wound round and round until at last Bilbo was wrapped up tight.

"_Nice and juicy,"_ the voices clicked. _"Nice and crunchy. Good for eating."_

"Gandalf!" Bilbo shouted helplessly. The Men above him skittered away, crawling along the net like spiders. "Gandalf, help!" _Twang, twang, twang. _Bilbo turned his head to see the Men cutting the ropes of the net. The ends flew through the air like ribbons, the net dipping further and further with every loss of support. "GANDALF!"

"_Good for eating,"_ the Men clicked. _"Good for money. Good for . . . nothing."_ The last rope snapped on its own and sent Bilbo plummeting to the floor of the cargo bay. He landed hard in the waiting box.

"_Good for nothing,"_ the Men clicked as they advanced on the box. _"Waste of space. Useless. Hopeless. Frightened."_ Bilbo struggled against the net wrapped about him. He couldn't move his arms or his legs. His heart pounded against his chest. He was helpless.

A Man stepped up to tower over the box and Bilbo. It reached up for the edge of its mask. Catching the edge, it peeled the mask back. Terror flooded Bilbo's stomach. Thorin glared down at him, hatred in his eyes.

"A waste of space," Thorin said in a clicking and hissing voice. "Useless."

"Worthless," another voice added. Bilbo turned to see Dwalin looking down at him with a hungry expression. Nori and Bofur joined, each grabbing a corner of the box's lid.

"You know what we do to people we don't like?" Nori asked, his voice popping with the words. Bilbo wrenched at his arms but to no avail. He was stuck like a fly in a trap.

"We lock them away," Bofur answered.

"No, please," Bilbo begged. "Please don't do this."

"_Goodbye, Bilbo Baggins," Thorin said. Bilbo watched in horror as the lid fell crashing down on top of him. Cold air hissed into the box. The ice crystals flurried into his lungs, sending freezing pain through him. Bilbo's struggles weakened as the ice took over his body. It froze the very blood in his veins. It stole his breath from his lungs. He was helpless as his eyes slipped shut and he fell away into a dreamless sleep._

Bilbo woke up screaming. He bolted upright in the bed, staring wide eyed at the wall before him. He screamed and screamed and screamed. And when he ran out of breath he inhaled and screamed some more. His vision clouded over and everything looked as though he was looking through a fogged up glass. A shadow approached him quickly. A hiss sounded as something opened, a door maybe. Arms wrapped around him. Guttural words were whispered in his ears. Fingers carded through his hair. But still Bilbo screamed. He couldn't stop. He had to warn the others about the intruders on the ship. The whispered words turned into loud shouts. Another figure approached Bilbo and handed something over. The arms left for a second to be replaced by bindings. They wrapped about his arms and over his head. He felt himself lifted off the bed and carried. And still he screamed.

"Bilbo," someone said. Harsh words followed his name. The scream stopped dead in Bilbo's throat. That was a good sound. He knew that sound. It brought kindness and a strong anchor in the sea of terror. "Bilbo," the voice said again. Bilbo let his head fall against the support holding him. He ignored the rocking motion and only focused on the movement of his support's chest. He could hear a sturdy beat in his ear. This was nice. He could stay like this forever. The hands lowered him and Bilbo found himself wrapped in a tight embrace as he drifted off back to sleep.

Bilbo didn't know how long he slept. It could have been only a few short hours or even a few days. Time was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was the beating sound beneath his ear and the words that rumbled through the chest.

"We must away, 'ere break of day," a strong voice sang softly. "To find our long forgotten home." Bilbo shifted against the warm body beneath him. The song cut off. "Bilbo?"

"Don't stop," Bilbo muttered. He frowned when the body under him shook with chuckles.

"Are you here this time, Bilbo?"

"Where else would I be?" Bilbo asked. He cracked open an eye to see Dwalin looking down at him uncertainly.

"In a very bad place," Dwalin answered. Bilbo shifted in his grasp but Dwalin tightened his grip. The Dwarf took the edge of a blanket and wrapped it tighter around Bilbo.

"What happened?" Bilbo asked, flinching at the soreness of his throat.

"Do you remember anythin'?" Dwalin asked. When Bilbo shook his head he sighed. "You were havin' a nightmare. You woke up screamin' and nothin' would make you stop. Thorin wanted to dope you again, but I said no. I brought you to my room to help you sleep better."

"How long have I been asleep?" Bilbo asked in a bare whisper. Dwalin sniffed as he counted the time.

"Seventeen hours," the Dwarf finally said. "Oin said you would still be tired from the anesthesia. Now tell the truth, do you remember anythin'?" Bilbo shook his head again. Dwalin glared at him suspiciously and suddenly Bilbo found his head crushed against Dwalin's chest. The sound of Dwalin's heart pounded in his ear. With each beat he could hear the words: _truth . . . truth . . . truth._ He broke like a flooded dam.

"He came back," Bilbo sobbed. "He knows I stole it and h-he came back to g-get it. A-And then I woke up but I was st-still dreaming. And they came back to get me. And then it wasn't them it was you and you locked me in the box and said I was a waste of space and useless and worthless."

"Hold on," Dwalin said. Fingers carded through Bilbo's hair. The Dwarf's next words rumbled through his chest. "We don't think you're a waste of space. You're part of the crew, Bilbo. You belon' with us now."

"Y-You mean it?" Bilbo whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Aye, I mean everything I say," Dwalin said. "Now who's tryin' to kill you?"

"Gollum," Bilbo said. He raised his head, pushing against Dwalin's head, and looked the warrior in the eye. "H-He was a creature I met down in the caverns. He tried to kill me."

"But you escaped?" Dwlain said. Bilbo nodded as the Dwarf wiped the tears from his face. "How?"

"W-We had a game of riddles," Bilbo told the Dwarf. "If I won then he'd show me the way out. If he won then . . ."

"Then?"

"Then he'd eat me whole," Bilbo whispered the words.

"You lost?" Dwalin guessed. Bilbo shook his head. "You won. He showed you the way out?"

"N-No," Bilbo said through tears. "H-He got mad that I won and tried to kill me. So I ran away from him into the tunnels. I tripped, though, and fell over. He couldn't see me when he ran after me." Dwalin stared at him for several seconds before he spoke.

"And he killed you in your nightmare?" Dwalin asked. Bilbo nodded then burrowed his face in Dwalin's chest. Dwlain wrapped his arms around the Hobbit, holding him tight. "And what about these others fellas who attacked you."

"Spiders," Bilbo whispered. "They trapped me in a web. You trapped me in a web."

"Alright, let's get one thing straight," Dwalin said. Bilbo looked up at him through water eyes. "Spider in the Net is just a game. If you don't like it then we can stop playin'. I don't think the others will mind. They'll just find something else to play." Bilbo didn't answer as he burrowed his face in Dwalin's chest. Mumbled words reached Dwalin's ear and the Dwarf frowned. "I can't hear what you said." Bilbo turned his head so he could speak properly.

"When are they going to stop?" Bilbo asked. Dwalin's arms, if possible, wrapped tighter around him. "Am I going to keep having nightmares?"

"As long as you don't talk," Dwalin said into Bilbo's hair. "You're hidin' somethin' you need to say but don't want to. Until you tell us, the nightmares will keep on comin'."

"It's scary," Bilbo said.

"I know, but you need to talk about it."

"I don't even know myself."

"You will, one day. Now go back to sleep." Bilbo sighed and burrowed against Dwalin's chest. He slipped into a peaceful sleep wrapped in the Dwarf's strong arms.

O.o.O

Bofur sucked on his finger, glaring at the ring on the table. Dwalin had brought him the ring and had asked him to examine it. After running extensive tests with no results, Bofur had finally slipped the ring on his finger. He hadn't been expecting the sharp pain to run through his finger. The pain had run through his entire body until he'd finally wrenched it off. Now as Bofur glared at the ring, he made up his mind.

He didn't like this ring one bit.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Why did I decide they found out about the ring? Because in the book Bilbo actually told the Dwarves and Gandalf about it. And it just seemed to fit in. Until next time, my lovelies, toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	25. Dangers and Dreads

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Happy Halloween! Here's a trick for you. Did you know if you say orange really slowly it sounds like gullible?_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p>Bilbo sits at the head of the table, his hands crossed on the surface before him. Nori and Bofur sit on either side of their friend. Gandalf stands behind Bilbo with his hands on the Hobbit's shoulders. Thorin and Dwalin stand on either side of Gandalf, their arms crossed. Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bombur, Dori, Ori, Balin, Fili, and Kili stand around their friends with varying degrees of smiles.<p>

"We wish you a Happy Halloween," Bilbo says with a tip of his chin.

"May yer candy bucket be full," Bofur says.

"Your travels be safe," Balin says.

"You not get arrested," Nori says, ignoring Dori's glare at his back.

"Your parties remain safe," Fili says with a slight bow.

"You remain healthy through the night," Oin says.

"The food be plentiful," Bombur says.

"_You not be murdered by a mad axe man,"_ Bifur says, ignoring Bofur's glare.

"Your loot be plentiful," Kili says.

"Your night be rich," Gloin says.

"You be on you best behavior," Dori says.

"You know your way safely," Ori says.

"Your ship ever fly straight," Thorin says.

"The Orcs stay away from you," Dwlain says.

"And may you make the best of your night," the Dwarves Bilbo, and Gandalf say together. "Happy Halloween."

"Please enjoy the next installment of _There and Back Again: Into Space_," Bilbo says.

**Dangers and Dreads**

Dwalin awoke to the sensation of cold air blowing across his bare back. For a moment he wondered why he had even woke up. Then another breeze tickled his skin and he shivered. He reached behind himself blindly for the sheets. His fingers scraped against the fitted sheet, finding nothing else. Grumbling to himself, Dwalin rolled over to see a bundle of blankets at the foot of his bed. Sometime during the night Bilbo had stolen them and made a nest for himself. The pillows atop the mess explained the crick in Dwalin's neck.

"Bilbo," Dwalin grumbled. He turned over and crawled to the bundle of blankets. The mess rose and fell slowly with the breaths of the Hobbit, occasionally shifting in place. "Bilbo, you stole the blankets." Dwalin ran his fingers along to the bundle to find a seam. He could find none, though. The Hobbit had wrapped himself up tight. "Bilbo, wake up."

"Brother?" Dwalin turned to see his older brother blinking blearily at him. Trust the old codger to wake up now and not any other time of the night. "What happened?"

"Bilbo stole the blankets," Dwlain said in a hushed voice. Balin sat up in his bed in order to see better. "He won't wake up."

"He looks quite comfortable," Balin commented. Dwalin snorted and returned to finding a break in the blankets. Bilbo shifted, the mess moving with him. "Leave him be, brother, he deserves a good night's rest."

"I'm cold," Dwalin argued, digging at the blankets. "You know I can't sleep when I'm cold."

"Then go fetch another blanket," Balin suggested. Dwalin looked at him like he was crazy. Balin sighed and stood from his bed, moving to Dwalin's. He gently nudged the mass that was Bilbo. "Master Baggins, Bilbo, you are making my brother cold.

"Mph," a sleepy voice mumbled something unintelligible. The blankets shifted aside, moving away from Balin's hand. Balin smiled at that.

"Come on, Bilbo," Dwalin tried. "I just want to go back to sleep. Give me some of the blankets and we'll be fine."

"Nyan," Bilbo said in a squealing voice. The blankets wrapped tighter around him. Dwalin looked to his brother.

"Did he just say _nyan_?"

"I believe he did," Balin said, not evening bothering to hide his mirth. "He sounded rather like a cat."

"Well the _pundurith_ needs to give me back my blankets," Dwalin said. He gently shoved at Bilbo.

"Nakid," Bilbo said. Dwalin frowned and leaned closer to hear better. When he poked the mess Bilbo spoke again. "Not kitty."

"_Pundurith_, give me back the blankets," Dwalin said. That earned him a clocking on the nose from a shifting body. Dwalin sat back, blinking in surprise. "_Pundurith_."

"Not kitty," Bilbo said again. He rolled over on the bed. "Sleepy."

"Master Baggins," Balin said in a warning tone. Bilbo whined and the blankets wiggled.

"Bilbo, you need to stop," Dwalin tried. The Hobbit ignored him and rolled farther away . . . and right off the bed. His squeal of surprise turned to a grunt when Balin caught him before he hit the floor. Crawling forward, Dwalin helped his older brother return the Hobbit to the bed. He found a corner and peeled the blankets away. A ruffled looking Bilbo glared sleepily at him.

"That was dangerous, _Pundurith_," Dwalin told Bilbo who stuck his tongue out at him. Balin sighed and shook his head with a smile.

"Tired," Bilbo moaned, falling sideways. He made to pull the blankets back over himself but Dwalin grabbed them. "Gimme."

"Not unless you ask nicely," Dwlain said.

"Try to end this soon," Balin told his younger brother. "Good night." He made his way back his own bed, falling asleep in seconds. His snores filled the air. Dwalin glared at his older brother. Trust him to wake up, trust him to leave Dwalin to do the dirty work. Dwalin turned back to Bilbo who was busy trying to wrap himself up again.

"No you don't," Dwalin growled. Bilbo squealed in surprise when Dwalin grabbed his ankles and dragged the Hobbit back up the bed. Tossing the Hobbit at the head of the bed, Dwalin grabbed the pillows and blanket before he crawled up beside Bilbo. The Hobbit grumbled but burrowed himself against the warmer Dwarf. Pulling the blankets over the two of them, Dwalin wrapped his arms around Bilbo. He listened as Bilbo shifted against him, eventually sighing and falling asleep. Dwalin's eyes slipped shut and he allowed himself to drift back to sleep.

He woke up the next morning to cold air and a nested Hobbit once more.

"Aw, come on!"

O.o.O

Thorin looked up as Bofur stomped down the stairs. The usually happy engineer wore a grumpy expression. He glared at Thorin before marching into the kitchen and grabbing the coffee carafe. He fell into the chair across from his captain. Thorin stirred the tea bag in his cup of tea, slightly thankful he hadn't decided to have any coffee. Some mornings Bofur was not to be bothered until he had drank the entire carafe of coffee. Bofur took a long drink from the carafe, wincing at the strong brew, then set it down. He propped his heels up on an empty chair.

"Bofur," Thorin greeted tiredly.

"Thorin," Bofur said back. The two fell into a tired silence before the engineer spoke. "I tested that ring like ya wanted me ta." Thorin looked up from pondering whether his tea was worth drinking now.

"What did you discover?" he asked.

"Nothin'," Bofur grumbled. "Bless me, I must have done every test I could on that rin' and I still couldn't learn a thin' about it. Except that it bites."

"It bites?" Thorin repeated. Bofur nodded then took a long drink from the carafe. "Bofur, rings cannot bite people."

"This one does," Bofur argued over the rim of the carafe. "I put it on me finger and it bit me. Made me fell all weird 'til I took it off. Where did ya even get that rin'?"

"Dwalin found it in Bilbo's coat pocket," Thorin said. Bofur lowered the carafe, looking interested. "We believe he may have found it on the Misty Mountains."

"Maybe it's his," Bofur suggested. "He could've had it from the Shire System and he just never knew."

"I already suggested that," Thorin said. "Dwalin says the smugglers would have taken anything that belonged to Bilbo when they captured him. And I do not believe this ring was given to him by the Elves." Bofur hummed in agreement. Silence lapsed over them as they thought.

"Oi!" Thorin looked up at Dwalin's shout. Bofur leaned back in his chair to try and see what was going on. "Get back here, you little thief!" A familiar blur raced through the eating area and down the stairs. Thorin and Bofur both blinked in surprise.

"What was that?" Bofur asked Thorin who could only continue to blink in befuddlement. He could have sworn the shadow of the Hobbit lingered in the room with them. Dwlain stormed out of the sleeping quarters, his head whipping back and forth.

"Where is he?" Dwalin demanded. "Where is that little thief?"

"What are you talkin' about?" Bofur asked. Dwalin stormed into the dining area, ducking to look under the table. "Are you lookin' fer Bilbo?"

"Aye," Dwalin said. He checked the kitchen area next.

"What has he done this time?" Thorin asked. Dwalin straightened up to look at him. The anger in his eyes was almost hilarious.

"He stole the blankets," Dwalin said. Bofur roared with laughter and he frowned. "It's not funny. The rooms get cold at night."

"Good thin' I sleep near the engine room," Bofur said. He raised the carafe to his lips and took a long draw, yelping when Dwalin tipped his chair further backward. The engineer landed with a crash on the floor. The beloved coffee splashed over him, leaving the Dwarf sputtering in the hot drink.

"He headed for the cargo bay," Thorin told Dwalin. "He is most likely going to his private place." Dwalin growled and stormed away down the stairs.

"There was no need fer him ta push me over," Bofur grumbled as he pulled himself upright. Thorin huffed in amusement, shaking his head. The engineer looked mournfully into the empty carafe. "And now I need more coffee."

"You could wait until Bombur woke up."

"That would be too lon'."

"Then make it yourself."

"I'm too tired."

Thorin shook his head as the engineer began to mutter to himself. Standing, he took his cold tea to the sink to pour it out. A pained shout from Dwalin caused his head to jerk up. Another shout carried up the stairwell followed by Dwalin yelling furiously.

"What's goin' on?" Bofur asked. Thorin ignored him, charging from the room and throwing himself down the stairs to the cargo bay. A hand shot out and grabbed Thorin by the lapels, dragging him back before he could enter the bay. Dwalin pinned him back against the wall.

"Dwalin," Thorin said breathlessly. "What happened?"

"I came down here to get the little thief," Dwalin said. "He started throwin' things at me." Thorin looked at him for a moment before he stepped past his friend, ignoring Dwalin's warnings. He stepped out into the cargo bay.

"Bilbo," he said aloud. "Come down from there." A small stone flew past his head, striking the wall behind him, and Thorin stepped back. More stones flew at him, sending the Dwarf stumbling back. Dwalin snatched him and dragged him back to the safety of the stairwell.

"What did I tell you?" Dwalin said. "He's throwin' things at us now. Got a deadly aim, too." Thorin rubbed his shoulder where a stone had struck him. Gandalf's previous words returned to his mind.

"_Given projectiles, a properly angry Hobbit is a forced to be reckoned with."_

"Did you make him angry?" Thorin asked Dwalin in a hushed voice. Dwalin blinked as he thought through the question. "What happened?"

"He stole the blankets in the night," Dwalin told his captain. "So I took them back. He stole them again this morning and I twisted his ear for it." Thorin sighed, letting his head fall forward.

"That was your first mistake," a voice said behind the Dwarves. Thorin looked up to see Gandalf standing in the stairs. "Hobbits have rather sensitive ears, more sensitive than an Elf or Dwarf's. They also enjoy warmth when they sleep. Bilbo has always had a tendency to make himself nests when he has slept."

"He hasn't done it before," Dwalin said.

"He did not trust you before," Gandalf told him. Dwalin blinked in surprise. "Bilbo is not a very trusting Hobbit. He has only ever slept well when he entirely trusted another." Thorin's eyebrows traveled up his forehead. "I would recommend you to add more blankets to your bed, Master Dwalin, if you do not want Bilbo stealing them anymore."

"What do you recommend for right now?" Thorin asked. Gandalf looked up, considering the question as Bilbo threw a few more stones in their general direction. Each stone struck the wall and left a small dent.

"I would recommend finding someone to reason with our Hobbit," the wizard said. When Thorin gave him a pointed look he laughed. "And that would not be me. Bilbo is not overly fond of me at the moment for the trouble I have brought upon him."

"Balin," Dwalin said. Thorin looked to him and he nodded back at Bilbo. "Bilbo likes him well enough. Maybe he can talk some sense into the Halflin'."

"Go get him," Thorin ordered. Dwalin pounded up the stairs. Gandalf chuckled, shaking his head, and made his way after the Dwarf. No doubt he was going to make himself more tea. Thorin listened intently. A voice seemed to carry through the cargo bay. Bilbo had started to sing a song Thorin didn't recognize.

"_Hey! Ho! To the bottle I go,_

_To heal my heart and drown my woe,_

_The rain may pour, the wind may blow,_

_And there may be many miles to go."_

Thorin couldn't help but smile at the song. He had never heard Bilbo sing before, though he knew Hobbits were fond of both drink and merry songs. The words continued to ring through the cargo bay. Leaning back, Thorin let them wash over him. He could see it now. A quiet, peaceful people dancing under the lights of a party tree. Bilbo would dance with pretty young women who would laugh and twirl, the ribbons in their hair rustling in the wind.

"Thorin, what is going on?" Bilbo's words cut off and Thorin opened his eyes to see Balin standing before him. The older Dwarf wore a confused expression, his hands on his hips. "Dwalin woke me up saying you needed me."

"I may have made Bilbo mad," Dwalin said from behind his brother.

"He has started throwing things," Thorin told Balin. "He refuses to listen to either Dwalin or I, and Gandalf will not help." Balin sighed and shook his head. Stepping forward, he spoke to Bilbo.

"Laddie, it is me, Balin." Thorin listened as the Dwarf continued to speak to the Hobbit. No stones flew his way and Bilbo answered peacefully enough.

"Perhaps Gandalf was right," Dwalin said to Thorin. "He isn't hurtin' Balin at all."

"That would be a first," Thorin said. Dwalin laughed, shaking his head. Both Dwarves straightened up as Balin stepped back inside.

"Master Baggins is angry with both of you," he said.

"Well that's easy to see," Dwalin said. Balin gave his younger brother and exasperated look. "Sorry."

"What else?" Thorin asked.

"As I was saying before Dwalin interrupted me," Balin said, glaring at his younger brother. Dwalin shrugged apologetically. "Bilbo is angry at the two of your for forcing him to get the surgery done by Oin. He does not appreciate it and will stay angry at you for as long as he wants."

"How lon' will that be?" Dwalin asked.

"None of us will know," Balin said. He made to move up the stairs then paused, turning to look at Dwalin. "And Bilbo says if you ever twist his ear again he will slice your calf with his sword." Dwalin's eyes widened in shock. Nodding a good morning to the two Dwarves, Balin stormed back up the stairs. Dwalin turned to Thorin.

"What do we do now?" he asked his captain.

"Leave him alone," Thorin said. "Bilbo will come down when he wants to." Dwalin looked up at the rafters dubiously. "Unless you want to be attacked by a properly furious Hobbit." Thorin watched Dwalin shook his head then turned followed his brother up the stairs. Thorin made to follow him, but paused when words reached his ears.

"_Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,_

_And the stream that falls from hill to plain,_

_Better than rain or rippling brook,_

_Is a mug of beer inside this Took."_

Shaking his head at the words, Thorin marched up the stairs to find himself breakfast.

O.o.O

Bilbo spent the entire day on the platform. Bifur brought him both breakfast and lunch, sitting in a comfortable silence with the Hobbit. He had only left to tend the engine when Bofur called him down. During these times Bilbo would take naps or sing quietly to himself. If Bofur, Ori, Kili, Fili, or Nori ever wandered into the cargo bay he sent them fleeing with a pounding of pebbles. At one point he'd had to climb down from his platform to gather his ammunition. When Dwalin and Balin had wandered down some times he had frightened them off with the pebbles.

"Wonderful," he had heard Balin say. "Now he has projectiles again."

Bifur returned to Bilbo's platform with a snack sometime after lunch. Bilbo had been happy to see the Dwarf. Siting up there had been starting to get lonely. Bifur sat and sang to himself tunelessly while Bilbo munched on the dried fruit and crackers. A tap on his shoulder made Bilbo look up. Bifur pointed at him, then to himself, and then to his own mouth.

"I don't understand," Bilbo said bluntly. He had learned quickly Bifur didn't mind bluntness. In fact, he preferred it. The Dwarf hated it whenever someone spoke in riddles. It gave him a headache.

Bifur pointed at himself, his mouth this time, and then Bilbo. Bilbo just shook his head. Bifur huffed and scratched his beard, thinking. Finally, he opened his mouth. The words he spoke almost made Bilbo's mouth fall open.

"I . . . t-teach . . . y-you," Bifur said in stuttering and halting voice, and then he made several signs with his hands.

"You want to teach me?" Bilbo asked. Bifur nodded excitedly. "Iglishmek." More nodding. Bilbo stared at the Dwarf, still in wonder at the Dwarf's broken speech. Bifur snapped his fingers in Bilbo's face and the Hobbit shook his head. "Sorry, I was just surprised when you spoke." Bifur made a hand sign. Bilbo squinted at him in confusion. Bifur made the hand sign again and then grabbed his head, making a face as if he was in pain.

"It hurts?" Bilbo guessed. Bifur nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, I won't make you speak anymore." Bifur patted him on the head. "So how do you propose to teach me Iglishmek?"

The words sent Bifur into a teaching frenzy. He would point at something, Bilbo would say aloud and then he would sign it. Once Bilbo understood the sign, Bifur would have him sign it back to him. This continued for several hours. By the end of it Bilbo had a headache, but he could at least ask Bifur how his day had been and had he seen the blue bird that flew over Thorin's head and pooped in Dwalin's beard. Bifur had been extremely pleased once Bilbo had been able to sign the sentence entirely on his own.

"Oi, Bifur, Bilbo," Bofur called up. Bilbo's hand strayed to the pile of rocks beside him but Bifur snatched caught it in his own. He shook his head at Bilbo's questioning look. "Ya two still up there?" Bifur shouted something down to Bofur that made his cousin laugh. "Aye? Well, Thorin says ya two need ta come down now."

"Why?" Bilbo shouted back. "I like being up here."

"We've arrived at Gandalf's friend's house," Bofur said. "The one who won't han' us by meat hooks." Bilbo looked to Bifur incredulously.

'Long story,' Bifur signed to him. 'Don't ask.'

"Why do we have to come down?" Bilbo asked Bofur. "Can't we just stay up here?"

"Gandalf says we all have ta be there," Bofur answered. Bilbo leaned over the side to the engineer waving at him. "Apparently this fella doesn't trust Dwarves very much."

'We go,' Bifur signed. 'Trouble if not.' Bilbo sighed in resignation.

"Fine," he said. "But I'm taking some rocks with me." Bifur roared with laughter as Bilbo gathered some rocks and stuffed them in his pockets. Together they trotted through the rafters and scurried down the walls. The rest of the crew had gathered by the time they reached the floor. Dwlain wrapped his arms around Bilbo the moment his feet touched the floor, pulling him for a hug.

"I'm sorry, _pundurith_," Dwalin muttered. "I won't do that again." Bilbo looked over Dwalin's shoulder at Nori who could only shrug. Dwalin released Bilbo and stepped back.

"I want you all to be on your best behavior," Gandalf said, sweeping into the cargo bay. "Beorn is not overly fond of Dwarves and he may remember the last time I visited." Several of the Dwarves groaned, shaking their heads. "That was not my fault that time. It was entirely the Southerner's. Now, best behavior." Gandalf gave each Dwarf a speculative look and Bilbo an appraising one. "Let us go, then."

Gandalf led the Dwarves to the door of the cargo bay and opened it. Leaning sideways, Bilbo watched eagerly as the door swung open. He didn't pay any attention to the bear of a man standing on the other side or the dogs that stood on their hind legs. He didn't care for the large bees. The adorable ponies remained forgotten. He just wanted to see the sun.

O.o.O

A blonde girl sits at the dining table with Nori, Bofur, and Dwalin. She looks up from the cards she's holding, playing poker with the three Dwarves, and smiles.

"Hey, everyone, Pollux here," she says. "I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I know I had fun writing it. Have fun tonight trick or treating and stay safe. Don't make yourself sick on candy." She grabs Nori's hand as it sneaks away from her pocket. "Drop it, thief."

"I didn't steal anything," Nori argues. Pollux glares at him and drops the cellphone.

"Thank you," Pollux says. "No, as I was saying . . ." She stops talking as something small darts past. Fili, Thorin, and Dori are hot on its heels. Fili skids to a stop, panting.

"What's goin' on?" Bofur asks in surprise.

"Bilbo got a hold of the candy again," Fili says breathlessly.

"Shit!" Dwalin shouts. Throwing the cards on the table, he charges from the room after Bilbo. Nori, Fili, and Bofur follow him quickly. Pollux blinks down in surprise at the poker chips on the table.

"Looks like I win," she says, scooping the chips up. "Suckers! Happy Halloween, everyone!"

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

Pundurith_ means 'the cat that is young'. So it basically means kitten._

_Now I have to go write a paper about how because I'm white, straight, or 20 years old it makes me privileged than other people. -.- Honestly, if you don't want to be told that you're racist just because you're white, don't take sociology class. Wish me luck._


	26. Coddling and Curiosity

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the late chapter, I had an exhausting weekend at work. Fifteen hours of dealing with morons. :P Sorry the chapter's short, too. I decided to end it here because I couldn't think of anything else to add and I didn't want to ruin it with unneeded scenes. I hope you still enjoy it._

_Castor has this idea for a story but she's not so sure about it. So she asked me to ask what you guys thought of it. Here's the general idea. "Dwarves are, by nature, greedy folk. Everyone survives BOFA and Thorin realizes Bilbo has Harfoot blood in him. The Harfoots lived with Dwarves once. Thorin decides that Bilbo needs to stay with them and takes drastic (and forceful) actions to keep Bilbo in Erebor." Let me know what you think!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Coddling and Curiosity<strong>

The perfect Dwarvish pregnancy lasted one hundred and sixty weeks. A good one, at least one hundred and forty weeks. Dis' pregnancy with Kili had only lasted an unhealthy one hundred and two weeks, leading to complications after birth. Oin had shaken his head and sent the dangerously premature babe to a stasis pod. They would try and recreate the conditions of the mother's womb, he had said, if they were lucky then Kili would continue to develop as he should have. And develop Kili did.

At one hundred and two weeks his lungs had barely finished developing. The stasis pod had allowed him to finish, helping the babe breathe during the process. Nutrition had been pumped through tubes into Kili's body for several days. Fili could still remember the first day he had seen his baby brother in the pod. Kili had been so small, able to fit in Thorin's hand, as he lay there twitching in his sleep. When Dis had got the first chance to hold Kili she had been ecstatic. Fili, not so much. He couldn't see what was so great about the babe. He had heard Oin say Kili had a very low chance of survival, an even lesser chance of living a normal life he did. As if once wasn't enough, Kili proved him wrong thrice. He survived the birth, the development, and went on to live a relatively normal life.

Fili had been the first one to see the problems. At seventy-two months, when Kili should have started speaking, he had been silent. Not a single word had left his lips. Dis had been fine with it, saying each Dwarf developed differently. At seventy-five months, though, she had begun to grow worried. She had consulted Oin who had shaken his head in worry. There was a chance, he had said, that Kili would never speak. The words had haunted Fili's dreams. Being five years older than his brother, he had taken it upon himself to fix the problem. Every day he had seen his mother try to teach Kili words. His younger brother had looked around, as though lost in the world of meaningless sounds. Always his eyes had fallen on Fili.

The idea first came to Fili when he watched his uncle converse with another Dwarf in Iglishmek. The language was easy enough for a Dwarf to learn, easier than Khuzdul even. Fili could remember how Kili used his hands to convey any messages for someone. So during the next few months he had watched his brother and learned what each sign meant. Slowly, they began to form their own sign language to use. After that had come the actual spoken language. Fili had noticed how Kili had been able to say only certain sounds and not others. He used these to his advantage, inventing words using only these sounds to accompany the signs between him and his brother.

Dis had been worried about the language at first. She had thought Kili might never learn proper Khuzdul if Fili continued to teach him in this way. But when she had tried to remove him, Kili had thrown such a fit that she had no choice. Oin, when consulted, had said it was best to leave the brothers alone. Kili was learning in his own way with Fili's help. Fili had worked hard with his brother throughout the years as they formed the language together. He could still remember the morning with pride when Kili had walked into the kitchen and bid both his mother and uncle good morning. The expressions on their faces had been priceless. Dis had broken down into tears and Uncle Thorin had grabbed Kili under the armpits, throwing him up into the air and laughing. Kili had laughed with him all that day. Never once had he thought about what it was he was laughing at. Standing back in the shadows, Fili had watched his younger brother laugh. He had liked seeing this side of Kili more than anything else. His mind was made up.

He was his brother's keeper.

Fili sat back against the wall, one leg hiked up on the bed while the other foot sat flat on the floor. He had managed to prop one elbow on his higher knee. The other arm hung painfully from his cuffed wrists. There was nothing he could do it about it, though. Not unless he wanted to be tasered and locked away again. Agent Smith sat across from him on a worn stool with a manila folder. A new day found the Man dressed once more impeccably. He hadn't made the decision yet to forgo the tie and jacket.

"So, Fili Durin," Agent Smith said. Fili looked up from where he had been picking at his thumbnail. The agent's eyes were trained on the folder in his hands. "It says here you're the main pilot of the ship."

"That's right," Fili said.

"I suppose your uncle taught you," Agent Smith said, looking up from the folder. Fili lowered his leg to the floor and sat back against the wall. "Just like Kili."

"Aye," Fili said. Agent Smith raised an eyebrow. The Dwarf and Man stared at each other for several long moments before the silence was broken.

"Is there nothing more you want to add?" Agent Smith asked.

"You're the one asking the questions," Fili said. Agent Smith's eyes narrowed at that.

"Fili, you're in enough trouble as it is," the Man said. "It is in both our best interests if you would cooperate."

"Why? What else can you do to me? You've already arrested me, taken me from my brother and friends, and stole our Hobbit." Agent Smith sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Fili smirked in triumph.

"For the last time, he is not your Hobbit. And maybe it would interest you to know that today is the last day you will be in this prison." Fili's smirk fell at that and he sat up straighter. "You, Kili, and Ori are being transferred to the juvenile detention center at the end of the day."

"_What_?" Fili said in disbelief. "But what about the trial? Don't we have to stay for that?"

"Not necessarily," Agent Smith said. "You are all still very young. The Government doesn't think it necessary for you to be there for the trial." Fili slumped back against the wall. This was bad. This was very, very bad. "Now, if you cooperate I can make the process go a lot easier for you. If not, then it could be more painful than you want it to be." Fili swallowed hard, thinking through his options fast.

"I'm the main pilot of _the Arkenstone_," he finally said. "Been flying for five years. I first met Bilbo when Bofur and Nori were showing him around." Agent Smith sat up, watching the Dwarf in interest. "Never been in trouble before this."

"And in all your time of knowing Bilbo," the agent said. "Did you ever notice anything strange about his behavior?" Fili had to think through the question before answering. There were a lot of things about Bilbo he didn't understand: the way he built nests when he slept, how he crinkled his nose and he wiggled his ears when he thought something was secretly funny, or even how he would consistently pull parts out of the engine when Thorin annoyed him too much for the day.

"There was one thing," Fili eventually said.

"Yes?"

"The suns." The words cause Agent Smith to frown in confusion. Fili sat back against the wall, preparing for a long explanation. "This is actually part of the story we've been telling you, if you're interested."

"I am," Agent Smith said.

"Alright, where did Bombur leave off?"

"You had just landed on Beorn's moon."

"Right, so we landed there just shy of running out of fuel. Beorn wasn't exactly happy at first. He doesn't like Dwarves . . ."

O.o.O

Beorn was _huge_. Thorin hadn't quite believed Gandalf when he had said his friend was a skinchanger. Then again, he had never met as skinchanger before. The race was said to have died out years ago when the Orcs raided their System. This . . . man was certainly not extinct. He had to be taller than six feet, tall enough for Bilbo to run between his legs and not have to duck. He had allowed his beard to grow out of control, tracing along his jawline. His cold, black eyes watched the crew of _the Arkenstone_ carefully.

"Gandalf," Beorn finally said in a deep, gravelly voice. Thorin swallowed hard. "What are you doing here?"

"We have come for rest," Gandalf told his friend. "Food, water, supplies. I was hoping you would grace us with your hospitality."

"I don't like Dwarves," Beorn said. Kili shifted uncomfortably when the skinchanger didn't move his gaze from the crew. "They are greedy folk, taking what they want and leaving nothing for anyone else." Thorin opened his mouth to argue but Gandalf stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, well," Gandalf said. "These Dwarves are different." Beorn's gaze finally shifted to him, turning curious. "They have something with them you might find interest in." Thorin turned to glare at the wizard.

"What are you doing?" he demanded in a soft voice. Gandalf ignored him. Using his staff, he tapped Bilbo on the hip. The Hobbit jumped, distracted from looking at the sky. He looked at Gandalf in confusion then Beorn. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"A Halfling," Beorn said breathlessly. His long legs carried him forward and he knelt down to be level with Bilbo. The Hobbit took a step back as the skinchanger laid a great hand on his head. "It has been many years since I have seen a little bunny."

"Oi!" Bofur shouted. Gandalf clocked him on the head with his staff and the Dwarf yelped. Beorn didn't seem to have heard him, though. His entire attention had been focused on Bilbo.

"You are welcome to stay as long as you wish," Beorn told Gandalf. "You and the Dwarves, as long as the Hobbit stays with me." Thorin opened his mouth to argue with the skinchanger but Gandalf knocked him on the head next. Rubbing his skull, he glared at the wizard. Bilbo looked around at the Dwarves for help. The crew shifted nervously, unsure of what to do.

"Thank you, Beorn," Gandalf said. The skinchanger hooked his hands under Bilbo's armpits and stood, lifting the Hobbit to his shoulder. There Bilbo swayed back and forth dangerously. He made a strange sound Thorin had never heard before: a mix between a squeal and a whine. Beside Nori, Dori stiffened.

"Come, dinner is almost ready," Beorn said. He turned away, Bilbo swaying on his shoulder, and made his way back to his house. Gandalf walked with him, murmuring in a soft voice to his friend.

"Did you hear the sound Bilbo made," Dori said once the skinchanger was out of earshot. "He doesn't want to be up there."

"Who would?" Bofur said, still nursing his aching head.

"I've never heard him make that sound before," Ori piped up.

"I have," Kili said. He shrugged when the rest of the crew turned to him. "He made it once when Oin was looking over his ear."

"It's a common sound among the Hobbits," Dori explained. "It means they don't like something that is happening. It's a way for them to relay their displeasure with something."

"What about when they huff?" Nori asked. "I've heard him make that sound before too."

"That depends on the situation. It could be they are either annoyed or they find something funny."

"What about screamin'?" Dwalin asked. Dori turned to him in confusion and he scratched his beard nervously. "When we took him to Oin the first two times, he screamed somethin' awful."

"That kind of scream means 'no'," Dori said. "It's meant to scare someone away or bring help to them." Thorin looked to Dwalin, his stomach dropping. No wonder Bilbo had been mad at them after the surgery incident.

"Do they make these sounds often?" Balin asked Dori.

"Occasionally," Dori said. "Mostly they're linked in with words as Hobbits speak. You have to be trained to hear what they're doing underneath their words." The Dwarves blinked in surprise, letting the words sink in.

"You Dwarves had better come in for dinner." Gandalf's words caused the crew to turn to him. The wizard stood in the doorway, leaning on his staff. "The food will get cold, otherwise." The crew turned as one to look at Thorin for instruction.

"Nori, Bofur," Thorin said. "Keep an eye on Bilbo. Try and get him away from Beorn if you can."

"But Beorn said," Kili began, Thorin cutting him off.

"I do not trust the skinchanger," Thorin snapped at nephew. Kili shrank back and Thorin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Bilbo is a part of our crew now. We need to treat him as such."

"Alright, laddie," Balin said before anyone else could speak. "We'll see what we can do." The rest of the crew nodded in agreement. They began to make their way across the field to Beorn's house. Thorin stopped Bofur with a hand on the Dwarf's shoulder.

"Thorin?" Bofur said in confusion.

"I need you to make a tracker," Thorin told his engineer. "For Bilbo. Is there any way you could convert one of the translators into an intercom system?"

"Aye, I could do that," Bofur said. "I'd need ta make a mouth piece fer Bilbo, but I think I can get that done." Thorin nodded his thanks. "But ya better ask Bilbo fer permission this time before ya inject him with any trackers. He didn't take kindly ta the surgery."

"I noticed," Thorin said, and Bofur snickered at him. "We better get inside before Gandalf hits us again." Bofur pulled a face, rubbing his head. Together the two Dwarves made their way into Beorn's house for dinner.

Dinner consisted of bread soaked in honey, various sweet fruits, and honey-laced milk. Thorin had never tasted something so sweet in all his life. It didn't sit well with his stomach. Bilbo seemed to be enjoying himself, though. Once the Hobbit had recovered from the nasty shock of Beorn's height, he laughed and joked around with the skinchanger. Thorin listened to all the words, straining his ears for the sounds Dori had mentioned. This time around he heard them. Bilbo would speak with a chortle when he thought something someone said was funny. He huffed and sighed in contentment when Beorn asked him about the food. Beorn had only touched Bilbo's ears once. It had led to a strange clicking and _scree_ sound from Bilbo accompanied with an annoyed expression. The skinchanger hadn't done it again.

Great dogs walking on their hind legs cleared the dinner dishes away. Sheep took any leftover food to be either stored or fed to the pigs outside. Thorin watched them nervously. Never before had he seen animals act this way. It wasn't natural.

"That was a dangerous pass for you to take, Gandalf." Thorin looked up at Beorn's words. "The Misty Mountains are infested with Goblins."

"And more, we learned," Gandalf said. Beorn narrowed his eyes at him and the wizard pressed on. "It seems the Misty Mountains are crawling with medical mites and other experiments." Beorn shifted in his chair. He stared at the crew and Gandalf for several long minutes before his eyes fell on Bilbo. The Hobbit looked up at him curiously.

"That moon you landed on," the skinchanger finally said. "It was an experimental site of the Government. They attempted to recreate the ideas of a miner." Thorin looked to Bofur who swallowed hard. "Bio ships, medical mites, intelligent animals . . . they attempted many things on that moon. None of them ever worked."

"Intelligent animals," Bilbo repeated. He looked to a dog walking through the kitchen. The dog paused, waving at the Hobbit before it moved on.

"I rescued what animals I could when the facility was shut down," Beorn said. "I had been hired to be their caretaker."

"Why was the facility shut down?" Fili asked in interest. Beorn raised his head to look at him. The Dwarf shifted uncomfortably.

"Someone made a mistake in the medical mites' lab," the skinchanger said. "The mites escaped from their containment and infected the entire planet. Everyone on that moon was taken away by the Government and locked up. Many are still alive and well, even when hundreds of years have passed."

Hundreds of years?" Kili repeated.

"But we were on that mountain," Ori said in a quivering voice. "A-And Bofur said we're infected too."

"Is there no way to kill the mites?" Thorin asked. Beorn cocked his head, as if thinking.

"The Government has found no way," he said. "The medical mites were bred to repair damaged cells but have nothing to stop them once they are finished. They will continue to kill aging cells and replace them until you should have been dead many years ago."

"Wh-What about rings?" Bilbo asked. He flushed under Beorn's confused expression. "I-I found a ring on the Misty Mountains, but I don't know where it came from."

"What ring?" Gandalf said. Bilbo fished in his coat pocket, repaired dutifully by Dori, and pulled it out to show the simple ring to Gandalf. Thorin looked to Bofur who shrugged.

"I gave it back ta him," Bofur said in a soft voice. "I was all done with it." Thorin looked back to Bilbo just as Gandalf had finished examining the jewelry.

"There was no ring being made in the facility," Beorn said as Gandalf handed the ring back to Bilbo.

"What does it do?" Kili asked curiously. "Put it on, Bilbo." The Hobbit looked around himself at the eager stares before he shrugged and slipped the ring onto his middle finger. He vanished. Thorin shot out of his chair, yelling in surprised Khuzdul. His crew leapt out of their own seats. Their hands went for whatever weapons they had with them. Gandalf sat back in his chair and Beorn straightened up in his seat. Bilbo reappeared suddenly, pulling the ring off his finger.

"What happened?" Bilbo asked in confusion over the noise. It took several shouts from Gandalf for the Dwarves to fall quiet and retake their seats. Thorin glared at the wizard.

"You went invisible," Gandalf told Bilbo. The Hobbit's eyes grew wide and his mouth made an _o_. "Bilbo, where did you find that ring?" Bilbo hesitated for a moment before Dwalin nodded at him. Thorin listened in interest as the Hobbit launched into his story of swapping riddles with Gollum and wandering around the Misty Mountains alone.

"And then I ran into Bofur, Nori, and Bifur," Bilbo finished. His ears still burned red from when Nori had started snickering about Bilbo pressing the red button.

"That is a very intriguing story," Gandalf told the Hobbit. Bilbo's flush grew all the way to the points of his ears. "I would keep that ring close if I were you."

"It's a good thin' he isn't," Bofur muttered under his breath. Nori snorted into his glass of milk, drawing a glare from Dori. Thorin kicked them both under the table. It wouldn't be the first time the two friends had gotten the crew kicked out of a town.

"But do not attempt to pull any tricks on us," Gandalf warned Bilbo, a twinkle in his eye. "I, personally, will be able to tell." Bilbo flushed, nodding hurriedly as he slipped the ring back into his pocket. "Now, if those are all your questions, I believe it is time for some rest."

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Again, sorry for the late and rather short chapter. Let me know what you think of Castor's idea!_

_I got the idea for Kili from our cousin. He and his wife just had a daughter who was born fifteen weeks early. So far she's doing great! And it's been two weeks. ^.^ We're all staying hopeful._


	27. Ignorance and Insolence

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N:_ Hey, everyone!_

_I am actually really happy I didn't post what I had written earlier. This idea for Bofur and Nori came to me in class and I feel like it made the whole story a lot better._

_Alright, so Castor brought it to my attention that Kili continuously falls down stairs wherever he is when he needs to leave a scene. So I have a challenge for you. If you're willing to, reread the story and tell me how many times . . ._

_a. Kili falls down a set of stairs (whether is pushed or just falls back in surprise)._

_b. Bofur kicks or punches Nori._

_c. Bifur throws things (whether it be at Bofur or the engine)._

_I don't know, maybe I'll think of a prize for whoever does this._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Ignorance and Insolence<strong>

Bofur didn't like people who beat around the bush. It meant they had something to say they didn't want to. And in his experience, it usually wasn't very nice. Too many times of someone beating around the bush, and ending in insulting Bofur, led the Dwarf to speak his mind whenever he pleased. Some may have not deemed it proper but Bofur deemed it necessary. A true friend in life didn't beat around the bush. A true friend in life didn't hide secrets. A true friend didn't lie. So when Bofur learned his true friend had kept secrets, lied to him, he decided to give him one chance to beg for forgiveness.

His friend didn't take the chance for three whole days.

Bofur laid on his back under the engine, tinkering with loose parts and oiling the rusty ones. All of the Elves' hard work on the engine had nearly been undone by the Goblins. Bofur was actually surprised the engine still ran. The wrench he held slipped from his grasp and struck him in the nose, Cursing, Bofur grabbed the injured appendage.

"You know," a voice said, and Bofur froze. "Bif usually hits the engine with the wrench, not himself." Bofur waited but no more words came. The presence didn't leave, either. The two friends sat in silence. Finally, Bofur spoke.

"Did ya know?" he asked.

"Did I know what?" The legs Bofur could see knelt down beside his lower half. Sly fingers ran across the floor until they found a few loose screws.

"Did ya know about the facility on the Misty Mountains?" Bofur asked, and Nori hesitated. The fingers paused as they wrapped around a screw.

"No," Nori finally said. "I didn't know." An uncomfortable silence fell between the two friends. Nori didn't make any move to leave Bofur to his own devices. Grumbling to himself, Bofur grabbed the engine and used it to pull himself out from under it. Nori knelt over him with a weary expression on his face.

"Why did ya do it?" Bofur asked his longtime friend. Nori watched him for several long seconds. His eyes traveled over Bofur's face, taking in every aspect of it.

"They knew about me," Nori said. "I guess one of Dwalin's reports about my thieving got into their hands. They approached me one day with pictures of Ori and Dori. They threatened to kill my brothers if I didn't do what they said."

"So ya came inta the mines and pretended ta be my friend?" Bofur asked. "Ya took all my ideas ta the government."

"Bofur, you don't understand," Nori began. Bofur cut him off.

"Yer right, I don't. Why didn't ya just tell me what was happenin'?"

"Would you have believed me if I had told you?"

"Of course I would have," Bofur said. Nori's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Maybe not at first, but if ya had brought me proof I might have."

"And then what would you have done?" Nori asked.

"We could have told someone," Bofur said. "Anyone."

"What could have anyone else done?" Nori snapped. "The Government controls the people. Without Erebor, we Dwarves are helpless. My brothers would have been dead. What if you'd been in my position? Would you have let Bombur and Bifur die?" Bofur looked down at his hands, pondering the words.

"Aye," he eventually said. "Yer probably right."

"They didn't hear much," Nori said in a reassuring voice after a moment. "It took me years to learn anything about _the Eagles._ And the medical mites ended up being a complete disaster." Bofur snorted at that. "I did stop, though."

"When?" Bofur asked, looking up at Nori.

"After Dwalin threw himself down the mineshaft," Nori told him. "I quit gathering information and started stalking him to make sure he didn't do it again."

"But ya kept comin' back ta the mines ta talk ta me," Bofur said. Nori gave him a pointed look. "But ya never asked anythin' about my ideas again." The realization dawned horribly on Bofur and he stared at his friend in shock.

"I hope this doesn't change anything," Nori said. "I really am sorry. I wouldn't have done it if they hadn't had Dori and Ori."

"But then we would've never met," Bofur reminded him. "I, fer one, am glad ya didn't. Ya never would've convinced me and Bifur ta join Thorin's crew. I'd still be workin' down in those mines if it hadn't been fer ya." He shoved his friend's shoulder and Nori chuckled under his breath. "So I guess I should be thankin' ya. Those _Eagles_ never would've left the ground." He gave Nori his very own special meaningful expression.

"Just for that pun I'm going to tell Bif you've been messing with the engine again."

"But I haven't!"

"Who's he going to believe?"

"Ya dirty little thief."

"Guilty as charged," Nori said with a smirk. Bofur leapt at him, sending both of them tumbling out of the engine room and into the hall. Nori yelped as Bofur pulled him into a headlock. "Choking! Choking!"

O.o.O

Thorin examined the gun-like device in his hands. It reminded him of the piercing guns Nori had kept from his days as a tattoo artist. The needle at the end was wider, though. It had to be, to accommodate the trackers inside. Bofur had made several of them for Thorin. Each one was the size of a small bean.

"_Inject it inta his arm," Bofur had said. "And ya should be good ta go."_

Good to go. Thorin laughed to himself. For years Bilbo had worn a tracker forced upon him at birth without his own knowledge. He had seen the way Bilbo would rub the back of his neck. The Hobbit's fingers would trace the knotted scar there, as if remembering. What would Bilbo say to another tracker? Would he think the Dwarves were treating him like a possession?

"Ah, Thorin, there you are." Thorin whirled around, hiding the tracker gun behind his back. Gandalf stood behind him. The wizard's eyes followed Thorin's arms but he didn't question him any further.

"Gandalf," Thorin said in relief. "You were looking for me . . . again?"

"Yes, I was," Gandalf said. He shifted his grip on his staff. "I came to tell you I am leaving now. Lady Galadriel has contacted me and told me to head for Dol Guldur. It would be wise for you to leave this planet tonight when I do. I cannot ensure Beorn will leave you be once I am gone."

"I will tell the others," Thorin said. Gandalf nodded firmly and made to leave, pausing at Thorin's next words. "Do you know where Bilbo is?"

"Bilbo?" Gandalf repeated. He thought for a moment the nodded. "He is out in the garden again, watching the sun."

"The sun?" Thorin said with a frown. "Why would he be watching the sun?" Gandalf looked down the ground, scuffing the floor with his staff, as he chuckled to himself. "What are you not telling us, wizard?" Gandalf looked up to him, a twinkle in his eye.

"There is no sun in the Shire System," Gandalf explained. "The planets and minor moons there move through a gravitational field created by the gathering of stars in the very center of the system. Until this journey, Bilbo has never seen a sun a day in his life." Thorin watched as the wizard chuckled to himself once more than continued on down the hall. The words sank in slowly.

"_I said if you hurt me my Mother would send guards to rescue me."_

"_He's a Fallohide from afar, child of the stars."_

"_I told him I was a child of the stars and that my mother was the sun."_

"There is no sun in the Shire System," Thorin said softly to himself. Now it all made sense. He'd always taken Bilbo's obsession for the suns as just another part of him. But it wasn't. "Not an obsession, a wish." Thorin chuckled, shaking his head. "Silly Hobbit." Hurrying down the hall, he made his way through the kitchen and out into the garden.

Bilbo sat in the center of the small garden. He had opted out of sitting on a bench nearby, instead digging his toes into the black dirt beneath him. His arms wrapped around his legs, the Hobbit craned his neck to stare in wonder at the sky. Thorin could remember his grandfather wearing that same expression surrounded by gold. Bilbo didn't seem to notice Thorin as the Dwarf stepped into the garden. Stuffing the tracker gun into his pocket, Thorin made his way to sit down beside Bilbo. The Hobbit's head jerked sideways at the new movement.

"Oh, h-hello, Thorin," he said, unwrapping his arms. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you," Thorin said.

"Humph," Bilbo said, a noise Thorin had come to understand as meaning 'oh?' or 'why?' or even, in special circumstances 'weird'.

"Gandalf told me where you were," Thorin continued. Bilbo hummed this time, a note of annoyance in his voice. "He told me there are no suns in the Shire System." Watching Bilbo out of the corner of his eye, Thorin saw the Hobbit huff in annoyance and rub his nose. "Was he speaking the truth?"

"Yes," Bilbo said hotly. "We have six moons in our System that all circle a cluster of stars."

"That is a small System," Thorin commented. Bilbo's eyes narrowed. "But please, continue."

"I come from the Hobbiton moon," Bilbo said. "It is a minor moon that circles the Westfarthing moon. The Westfarthing and Eastfarthing moons travel parallel with each along the same track. The Southfarthing and Northfarthing moons travel on either side of both moons on separate paths."

"And what of the sixth moon?" Thorin asked. Bilbo hesitated, cuffing his toe into the dirt, before he answered.

"That's the Barrow Downs," the Hobbit said softly. "We don't talk about that moon very often." His fingers ran up his neck to trail against the scar. Thorin cleared his throat, catching the Hobbit's attention.

"The Khazad System," Thorin said. "Is not really a system at all. A better definition would be a galaxy."

"Then why do you call it a system?" Bilbo asked in confusion. Leaning back on his hands, Thorin sighed as he thought through the explanation. He opted for the story Balin used to tell his young students.

"When the Men left their system and came to ours," Thorin said. "They wanted to give a finite definition to everything they say. The attempted to differentiate between a planet and a moon in our systems. To us, they are the same thing. The words are synonymous for each other, meaning a habitable rock floating around a central object."

"Erebor," Bilbo said, catching Thorin's attention. "Balin called it a moon, but I've heard the rest of you call it a planet instead."

"Exactly. Where the Men come from they have one habitable planet they called 'Earth' and several moons. They sought to define our systems as they had theirs. None of it worked, though, and they were forced to conform to our ways. The Men chose to call the Khazad System a system due to its movement centered on Erebor."

"There's no sun or stars in the center?" Bilbo asked.

"In a way there is," Thorin told him. "Seven suns circle Erebor, keeping it in an everlasting rotation."

"_Seven_?"

"Aye, and at all times there is at least one sun in the sky, if not more. Durin's Day is the only day of the year when all seven suns' speeds bring them into the sky at once. You see, they travel on separate tracks, just like your Farthings. Each moves at their own speeds."

"What about the other moons?" Bilbo asked eagerly. "Do they have seven suns as well?"

"No," Thorin said, smiling at the way Bilbo's face fell. He leaned forward to drag his finger through the dirt. "We have several minor systems in the Khazad System: the Iron Hills, the Blue Mountains, the Misty Mountains, the Ettenmoors, and more. Now, each of these minor systems have at least one sun within them. The Blue Mountains, where we on the crew are from, has four suns traveling through them. On the day of the Summer Solstice the four suns come together in the center of the sky, making it the brightest day of the year. The Misty Mountains, though, has no suns at all."

"Then how do they stay in orbit?" Bilbo asked.

"They travel through the gravitational field of other suns," Thorin explained. "Didn't Dori teach you any of this?"

"Maybe," Bilbo admitted, blushing. "I may have not been listening very much." Thorin chuckled at that. Bilbo's face lit up, and he did something Thorin had never seen before. His nose wrinkled and his ears twitched back and forth. The actions sent Thorin into a roaring laughter that brought a confused expression from Bilbo.

"What are you laughing at?" Bilbo demanded. When Thorin didn't immediately stop, he jabbed the Dwarf in the side. "Blast you Dwarves and your secrecy. Stop laughing at me." Thorin managed to bring his laughing down to gasps. At the sight of Bilbo's furious expression he lost it, collapsing into laughter again. Bilbo leapt at him, catching him by surprise. Both beings were sent tumbling to the ground.

"Stop it! Blast it! Stop laughing at me-oh." Thorin sat up, wiping his tears away, to see what had stopped Bilbo. The Hobbit stared at a small device on the ground. The tracker gun had slipped from Thorin's pocket in their tussle.

"Dammit," Thorin swore softly. He swiped up the gun and made to shove it back into his pocket. Bilbo's expression stopped him, though. The Hobbit stared at him as though he had been betrayed. "Bilbo," Thorin sighed.

"What is that?" Bilbo asked.

"Bofur made it," Thorin said.

"Alright, but what is it?" Bilbo said. Thorin looked down at the gun, wondering how to explain the situation. "I'm fifty years old, Thorin, I'm not a child anymore."

"It is a tracker gun," Thorin said. "Bofur made it to inject trackers."

"Into me?" Bilbo guessed. Thorin nodded slowly and the Hobbit sat back on his heels. "Why? Don't you trust me not to run off?"

"It's not that, Bilbo."

"Then what is it? None of the rest of the crew have trackers. Why should I have to get one?"

"Because I worry about you," Thorin snapped. Bilbo blinked in surprise. Inhaling deeply, Thorin tried to calm down. "We almost lost you in the Misty Mountains. With a tracker, we would not have to worry anymore." Bilbo looked doubtful at this. "I will tell you what, Bofur has made more than one tracker. I will allow you to inject one into my arm first, and then I will inject you." He offered the device out for Bilbo. The Hobbit looked between it and him before wrapping his small fingers around the handle.

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You always have a choice, Bilbo."

"But you could just pin me down and stab me with this thing anyway." Thorin grabbed Bilbo's wrist as the Hobbit brandished the tracker gun. He didn't feel like being stabbed at the moment.

"I am sorry for the surgery," Bilbo," Thorin told Bilbo. "I did what I thought was best for you, but clearly I only hurt you more. I promise next time I will listen to you." Bilbo glared at him until Thorin released his wrist.

"How does this thing work?" Bilbo asked hotly, waving the gun around once more. Thorin grabbed his wrist before the gun stabbed him in the thigh.

"You jab the needle end into someone's arm," Thorin explained, pointing out the wide needle. "Once that is done then you pull the trigger. The injection process should only take a moment or two."

"Alright," Bilbo said. He looked to Thorin, a mischievous look in his eyes. "Let's see if I can't kill you." For a moment, Thorin seriously worried for his life. Rolling up his sleeve, he bared his arm for the Hobbit. Bilbo aligned the tracker gun. He looked to Thorin for approval.

"Now press the needle into my arm," Thorin ordered, wincing when Bilbo did as he said. He hadn't expected the piercing pain that came. "And pull the trigger," he said through gritted teeth. If the gun hadn't been lodged in his arm, Thorin would have strangled the Hobbit for struggling with the device. It couldn't be that hard. Finally, Bilbo managed to get the hang of the device and pulled the trigger. Thorin had to hold back the shout of pain at the strange and painful sensation. Bilbo pulled the gun back, watching as Thorin clutched his arm.

"Are you okay?" Bilbo asked hesitantly. Holding back his yells, Thorin nodded stiffly. "Did it hurt?" Straightening up, Thorin tried to put a brave face on.

"Only a bit," he said. He opened his hand for the gun and Bilbo hesitated. Several minutes before he handed the device over. Thorin waited patiently for him to roll his own sleeve up. It would be better to move at Bilbo's own terms this time around. Eventually, the Hobbit's pale skin was prepared for the tracker.

"Now, take a deep breath in and try not to move," Thorin said as he took Bilbo's arm in a strong grip. Bilbo nodded stiffly, closing his eyes. Taking a steadying breath, Thorin jabbed the tracker gun into the Hobbit's arm and injected the tracker. Bilbo squealed in pained alarm and attempted to jerk his arm back. Thorin held it in a strong grip, though. He drew the gun back and tossed it aside just in the nick of time. Bilbo leapt at Thorin, wrapping his small fingers around the Dwarf's throat.

"You lied to me!" Bilbo screeched in fury, scrabbling at Thorin's skin. Thorin laughed at the Hobbit's efforts. He couldn't blame him. The tracker had hurt more than even Thorin had thought it would. "I ought to kill you!"

"Then your efforts will be in vain, Master Baggins," Thorin laughed, adding to Bilbo's fury. "You would do better with your toothpick of a weapon."

"Then let me go get it," Bilbo hissed. He made to get up but Thorin wrapped his arms around his waist, dragging the Hobbit back down to the ground.

"Not yet," Thorin said. "I have more." Bilbo twisted in his grip to glare at him.

"What? Are you going to give me another tracker? Maybe this time you should inject it into my butt like they do with shots in the hospital."

"Perhaps I should have done that in the first place," Thorin suggested, chuckling at Bilbo's venomous expression. "Treat you as the child you are acting like."

"I'd like to see you get shot in the arm and not act like a child."

"I already did."

". . . Shut up," Bilbo spat, and Thorin laughed again. He could see the fury in Bilbo's face calming down. The Hobbit's nose had wrinkled once more and his ears were just barely twitching. "Shut _up_! Stop laughing at me!" Thorin couldn't help it. Just the sight of Bilbo's pointed ears twitching like a rabbit's made him laugh. "Stop it right now or I'm going to get my sword."

"Calm down, Master Baggins," Thorin said. Flipping over, he managed to pin Bilbo under himself. Bilbo struggled under him and glared up at Thorin. "Bofur fixed one of the translators to act as a transmitter as well. This way we will be able to remain in touch with you if we are separated. If I let you up will you attack me again?"

"No," Bilbo said hotly. Thorin didn't move from his seat on the Hobbit's hips. Bilbo groaned, hitting his head against the ground. "I said no. I promise I won't attack you again."

"I will hold you to that promise," Thorin said. Rolling sideways, Thorin allowed the Hobbit to sit back up. Bilbo straightened his overcoat as best as he could with a glare aimed at Bilbo.

"Does Bofur have the translator?" Bilbo asked.

"No, he gave it to me," Thorin said. He fished around in his pocket and found it, offering the new device out for Bilbo to inspect.

"There's microphone," Bilbo finally said, looking up at Thorin. "Am I just supposed to listen to what you say and hope you know what I'm thinking?"

"Bofur made one," Thorin said. He drew a length of tan leather from his pocket next. Bilbo took it and inspected it as well. "He made this to blend into your skin. You just speak into your wrist and the microphone will pick up your words."

"Sounds safe enough," Bilbo said. He swapped out the translator in his right ear for the new one. "Help me with the mic?" he asked Thorin, offering his right wrist out. Thorin took the leather strap and wrapped it around Bilbo's wrist. Upon meeting, the ends melted together. "Amazing," Bilbo breathed, examining the microphone. "You should give Bofur a raise."

"I will have to think about it," Thorin said. "Now, I need to find the rest of the crew and tell them we are leaving by the end of the day."

"But we just got here," Bilbo argued.

"And Gandalf is leaving," Thorin said as he stood. "He has suggested we leave so we do not anger Beorn further. Pack your things, Master Baggins, and say your farewells." Bilbo nodded slowly. Thorin ruffled his hair before leaving the Hobbit alone in the garden.

Child of the stars, indeed.

O.o.O

Gandalf took _Gwahir_ before the day was through. He left instructions for Thorin to take the pass through Mirkwood but under no circumstance enter the Lonely Mountain without him. Thorin promised the wizard he would do no such thing. Satisfied, Gandalf left the Dwarves and Bilbo in Beorn's care. Beorn's mood turned sour in the last few hours of their stay. He seemed to want to spend all his time with Bilbo, speaking with the Hobbit at every chance. It took a lot of convincing on both Balin and Dori's part that Bilbo could not stay with Beorn. He needed to accompany the Dwarves to Erebor.

Finally, the time had come. The Dwarves gathered up everything Beorn had been willing to part with. Bilbo said his teary-eyed farewell to Beorn who nuzzled his hair then followed Ori onto the ship.

"Take us out of the world," Thorin told Fili in the cockpit. Firing up the engines, Fili took a hold of the controls. They eased off the planet's surface, leaving Beorn's home behind on their continued voyage toward the Lonely Mountain.

O.o.O

"Cob, find Attercop, tell him . . . they're on the move."

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I am seriously excited for the scene that's coming up. So is Castor, she doesn't stop talking about it._


	28. Habits and Help

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_*UPDATE: 11/09/2014*_

_I did not like how the original chapter went so I rewrote it. The chapter has no turned into a two-three chapter event._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Habits and Humor<strong>

"Now," Agent Smith said, smoothing his tie down. "Around what time would you say you left Beorn's planet?" Fili had to think through the question before answering. Every event after their leaving the hospitality of Beorn had blended together. He could barely tell the time difference between when they had escaped Mirkwood and when they had won the Battle of the Five Armies.

"Late September by the Khazad System Reckoning," Fili finally guessed. Agent Smith offered him a sandwich and he accepted it gratefully. They had been talking for two straight hours, Fili trying to buy as much time as he could. HE wanted to see just how far through the story he could get before Agent Smith left.

"And Gandalf sent you on a path toward Mirkwood?" Agent Smith asked. Fili nodded as he took a bite from the sandwich. Roast beef with pepper jack cheese and lettuce. "Which path was this?"

"The Elven Path," Fili said through the sandwhich before swallowing. "Sorry. Gandalf sent us on the Elven Path. The Gate is about a two day trip from Beorn's planet. Once we got on it, it was a straight journey past Mirkwood and onto Erebor. We could have landed on Mirkwood if we wanted to . . . and if Thranduil had let us."

"How long did your journey take through the Elven Path?" Agent Smith asked.

"That," Fili said. "Is a very good question. None of us actually remember. About two and a half days down the Path we hit this ion cloud."

"Sorry, but what ion cloud? It's scientifically impossible for an ion cloud to exist."

"Yeah, I know. But I never said Kili was smart. He was the one who named it."

"Alright," Agent Smith said slowly. Fili shoved the last piece of the sandwich into his mouth and chewed. "What was this . . . ion cloud, then?"

"We don't actually know," Fili admitted. "It just sort of popped up and started screwing with our systems . . ."

O.o.O

"I'm telling you," Kili said. "If you'd just talk to Thorin maybe he'd lesson."

"I really don't think he would," Fili disagreed, examining a monitor. "Thorin has a thick skull. Ma says it all the time." Spinning the captain's seat around, he checked another screen.

"Yeah, but if you would just _try_," Kili said. Fili slammed a hand against the radar's monitor. "Hey, don't break it," Kili warned. "Thorin'll make you buy a new one."

"Something's messing with the monitors," Fili said. He waved blindly over his shoulder. "Check the co-pilot's for me, would you?" Kili grumbled but Fili had to guess his brother had did what he guessed. Grabbing the intercom handheld to the engine, Fili spoke into it. "Bofur shut down the engine. Keep life support on."

"Roger that," Bofur's voice came through tinny. "Bif, shut her down!" Clangs and screeches echoed down the hall from the engine room. Fili slammed his fist against the monitor again in his frustration but they stayed the same way: riddled with dancing dots and fizzing every few seconds.

"The monitors on this side aren't working," Kili said from the other side of the cockpit. "They've all got . . . dancing ants. What's going on?"

"No idea," Fili said, turning his chair around. Fili sat in the copilot's seat, his feet propped up on the console. "Get your feet down."

"But you do it all the time."

"Yeah, because I'm allowed to."

"And I'm not?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm senior pilot."

"Who told you that?"

"Thorin," Fili said with a smug smile. "Besides, I'm eight years older than you." Kili scoffed at that before turning his attention to the windshield. Fili followed his gaze, frowning at what he saw. Thousands of glittering sparks floated past them through the vacant space. Occasionally they would hit the ship and send up tiny sparks that fizzled and died.

"Those aren't stars," Fili said. Kili stood and made his way to stand at the top of the staircase.

"They're like ions," he said. "It's an ion cloud." He turned to look at Fili, pure glee on his face. "Don't you think?" Fili opened his mouth to respond only to be interrupted by a shout.

"Fili!" Thorin's roared, storming into the cockpit. Kili gave a surprised yelp and tumbled backward down the staircase. Thorin barley spared him a worried glance before he rounded on his eldest nephew. "Fili, why has the engine stopped?"

"I told Bofur to do it," Fili said calmly. Thorin exhaled hard through his nose and crossed his arms. "The monitors are on the fritz, we're flying blind out here."

"I'm okay, I'm alive," Kili called up from the lower level. "Actually, no I'm not."

"Gloin replaced the frayed plugs back on Bree," Thorin said. "I saw him."

"Aye," Fili agreed. "But I don't think it's the plugs this time. Come here and look at this." He beckoned his uncle over, showing him the several monitors. "The frequencies, the radars, the heat sensors . . . something's tampering with them."

"What do you think it is?" Thorin asked.

"You know what?" Kili said. "I don't think my spine's supposed to bend like this."

"Kili called them ions," Fili said, nodding to the windshield. Thorin straightened up and turned his attention to the floating sparks. "I've no idea what they actually are."

"Are they causing any damage to the engine?"

"None we can see so far."

"I could use some help down here."

"Could you fly through this . . . ion cloud?"

"We'd be flying blind."

"I think I've cut the blood off to my legs."

"Try your best," Thorin ordered his nephew. "If you cannot see, send Dwalin or Gloin out in an _Eagle_ to help you."

"Alright, Thorin," Fili said.

"Woohoo, tingly!"

"And have Ori bring you a map of this system," Thorin added. "You have never flown in this are before. I do not want my ship crashed. She crashes, it is your fault."

"Understood," Fili said with a two finger salute. Thorin gave him a stern nod then left. Leaning over, Fili saw his brother folded in half on the floor of the lower levels. Kili's knees just barely brushed his nose. "You know, I'm starting to think you do this on purpose."

"Do what?" Kili asked.

"Fall down the stairs," Fili told him. His brother winked at him before easily flipping himself to his feet. "You'll hurt yourself one of these days.

"But it's so much fun," Kili said. "Besides, it's practically my trademark."

"I think it's more than that."

"What is that supposed to mean."

"You fall down nearly every staircase you're by."

"That's no true!"

"Do I really need to remind you of the first day on this ship?"

"I wish you wouldn't."

"It was a dark and stormy night."

"Fili, stop."

"A door slammed."

"I mean it."

"A maid screamed."

"I'm warning you."

"And somewhere on a lonely ship, a stupid Dwarf fell down a set of stairs."

"Now you're asking for it!"

O.o.O

"Bofur, Thorin shouted down the hall. The engineer stuck his head out of the engine room in answer. "Get the engine running again. Run it soft, Fili and Kili are flying blind."

"Aye, Thorin," Bofur said, withdrawing his head. "Bif, we've got to get her goin' again . . . what do ya mean this is my fault? Thorin's the one who told me ta do it."

Thorin left the two engineers to work. He and the rest of the crew had learned early on not to get into the cousins' fights and arguments. More blood than necessary was usually spilt. Stomping down the stairs, Thorin found Balin in the dining area. His first mate glanced up from his book in interest, stirring the tea bag in his tea cup.

"Is everything alright up there?" Balin asked.

"We have reached an ion cloud," Thorin said. At Balin's raised eyebrows, he huffed in answer. "Kili's name."

"Ah," Balin said before returning to his book. "There is still hot water in the tea pot if you wanted to brew yourself a cup."

"Thank you," Thorin said, and Balin hummed. Walking to the small kitchen, he grabbed a mug and a tea bag. He poured hot water into the mug before dunking the tea bag in. Upon turning around, he found Balin watching him. "What is it?"

"Have you seen Bilbo anywhere?" Balin asked. Thorin had to think for a moment. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen the Hobbit all day.

"Is he not on his roost?" Thorin asked.

"No," Balin said. "Nori checked earlier."

"Has Dwalin left his room since breakfast?"

"No."

"Then Bilbo is most likely taking a nap in Dwalin's room," Thorin said as he made his way to sit across from Balin at the dining table. "Dwalin never leaves Bilbo's side when he sleeps."

"It is the only comfort my brother can give to him," Balin said. He marked his book with a string of red velvet and set it aside. "I believe he feels it the least he can do."

"It is a kindness," Thorin said, blowing on his tea.

"Bilbo has become a unique addition to our crew," Balin commented. Thorin grunted in answer. "What will we do once we reclaim Erebor? Send him back to the Shire System?"

"Bilbo can never go back there until it is out of Government control," Thorin said. "Gandalf told me about the Barrow Downs." Balin frowned in confusion over the rim of his tea cup. "It is a mental asylum for the Hobbits who speak out against the Government or cause any trouble."

"Where else can Bilbo go?" Balin asked softly. "If his own home is not safe."

"I am sure Lord Elrond will be willing to take him in," Thorin commented. He took a sip of tea and grimaced. He'd never liked lemon and honey tea. It reminded him of the few times he had fallen ill in his youth. "Otherwise Gandalf will find him a good home on one of his reservations."

"Dori will probably leave to live with him," Balin said. Thorin caught his sideways glance. "But, you know, we could always use a burglar on this ship."

"Aye, that we could," Thorin agreed, taking another sip of his tea. "Bilbo Baggins, expert burglar in search of plenty of excitement and reasonable reward." Balin snorted into his tea at that, spilling the drink across the table. Thorin couldn't stop the smalls smile from growing on his lips.

"Try a home," Balin said, mopping up spilled tea with a napkin. A shout caught both their attentions.

"Bif! Don't throw the monkey wrench at me!"

"Sounds like the lads are having fun again," Balin commented drily. Thorin could only shake his head in disbelief. It was a wonder anything got done on the ship.

"Put down the sledgehammer! _Put down the sledgehammer!_"

"One of these days Bifur is going to forget to stop his swing," Thorin said. "And then we will be one engineer short."

"Of course, Bifur might just deiced to stuff his cousin and keep him," Balin said. Thorin's jaw dropped open in disbelief. Balin gave him a very pointed look. "You forget, laddie, I was young once too. And I will have you know I had quite the ideas when I was your age." Thorin snorted at that. "Oh, knock it off, you vulgar ape."

"You started it," Thorin pointed out.

"DON'T SWING THAT THIN' AT ME!"

"Perhaps we should go and stop them this time," Balin said.

"Aye, that would probably be a good idea," Thorin agreed. Neither Dwarf made a move to get up. They sat and stared at each other. "Or we can go spar down in the cargo bay."

"Aye, that sounds like a better plan." Abandon their tea, the two friends hurried down the stairs and away from the fight.

O.o.O

"Bif, get this thin' off my face," Bofur ordered weakly. Said 'thing' – a rather heavy sledgehammer – had been precariously perched on the engineer's nose. One wrong move and it was goodbye eyeball. Bifur just grunted at his cousin. "Come on, Bif, I'm bein' serious."

"_You are annoying me, cousin,_" Bifur snapped down at his prostrated cousin. Bofur gave him a cocky grin. Turning his attention back to the monitor, Bifur tried to make sense of what it was telling him. According to the screen, none of the parts were loose or leaking oil. The exhaust from the life support, though, seemed to be laced with unknown debris.

"Come on, Bif," Bofur whined, wriggling under the sledgehammer. Bifur moved to rest on his cousin's sternum. "Bif!"

"_Shut up,_" Bifur snapped. "_I am trying to read the screens_." Tapping a few keys, he tried desperately to understand what the ship was telling him.

"What's wron' with it?" Bofur asked curiously.

"_Something in the exhaust_," Bifur sad. Pulling the sledgehammer back, he dropped a wrench onto his cousin's chest. "_Go under and loosen the valve. See if you can get any of the debris in the life support system._"

"Alright," Bofur said uncertainly. He pulled himself under the engine. Metal hit metal, the _clinks_ and _clanks_ carrying up to Bifur's ear. The Dwarf waited impatiently until his cousin spoke. "I'm not seein' anythin'. Are ya sure something's wron' here?"

"_There is something being pumped into the life support,_" Bifur said, crouching down. He could see Bofur's funny hat hidden under the engine.

"Are ya sure?" Bofur asked again. "Because I'm tellin' y-A!" The last word ended in a show as the valve hissed loudly. Pressurized air struck Bofur on the face, the Dwarf yelping and struggling. Bifur grabbed his cousin's legs and dragged him out from under the engine. Bofur hacked, grabbing at his lungs. "Yer right! There's somethin' in there!"

"_But what is it_?" Bifur wondered aloud.

"No idea, but it's gone through the entire ship by now."

"_We need to tell Thorin._ _Get back under the engine and seal the valve again._"

O.o.O

Dwalin sat on the edge of the bed, Keeper propped against his knee as he sharpened it. Every one of his weapons had been carefully laid out on Balin's bed on a clean cloth. He taken on the difficult duty of cleaning and sharpening each one to perfection. Honestly, he needed something to do when Bilbo took a nap. He couldn't just leave the Hobbit to sleep alone and have nightmares. Reading wasn't his strong suit, though, and he couldn't stand wasting time on the Vein. So that left him with polishing his weapons.

The mass of blankets behind Dwalin shifted and the Dwarf froze. Bilbo had, once again, wrapped himself up in a nest of blanket. This time Dwlain'd had the opportunity to see how it was done. Bilbo would grab the corner of a blanket and roll himself up like a pig in a blanket. Every loose end was tucked in until there were no possible breaks in the blankets. Dwalin had to admit, he was impressed.

Bilbo sighed and fell back to sleep. Setting the whet stone aside, Dwalin stood up from the bed. He placed Keeper beside Grasper. He had finished with all the rudimentary weapons. All that was left were Insult and Injury – his knuckledusters – and Nori's throwing knives. Dwalin had offered to clean and sharpen them for the thief in a fit of boredom.

"Attercop." Dwalin frozen once more at Bilbo's sigh. The mass rolled over, the Hobbit returning to his mumbling sleep. "Attercop." Attercop . . . where had Dwalin heard that name before? Scratching his chin, he thought through all the answers. Each one led back to one point: the black-market. There was an almost seventy-thirty chance Nori knew who this Attercop character was.

Sparing Bilbo a glance, Dwalin tiptoed from the room. The Hobbit would be fine on his own for a few minutes. The nightmares usually only came at night, and even then well into the REM cycles. Normally a difficult Dwarf to find, the hunt for Nori only lasted a minute or two. Dwalin found the thief in his room talking with Dori. The brothers looked up at his entrance.

"Hello, Dwalin," Dori said politely. "What brings you in here?" He gave a pointed glare to Nori who shook his head, his hands raised defensively.

"I didn't do anything this time," he said.

"You said that the last time," Dori snapped at his younger brother.

"And that was the truth."

"You'd shoved a man into the mines!"

"He was asking for it."

"By demanding more money in your illegal trade?"

"Oi, this time it wasn't illegal."

"Says who? The thief and liar?"

"I resent that!"

Dwalin cleared his throat. The brothers' bickering stopped and they blinked in surprise. Neither had noticed they had been moving toward each other in their argument. Now they stood nose to nose in the center of the room. Dori stepped back, smoothing the front of his jacket down, while Nori scratched his nose.

"I was lookin' for Nori," Dwalin said. Dori made a 't-cah' sound of disgust. "But I wasn't accusin' him of anything." Nori smirked at his brother who frowned back. "I had a question."

"Ask away," Nori said, waving a hand dramatically. Dori rolled his eyes.

"He's only going to lie in the answer."

"Am not!"

"Hey!" Dwalin shouted. The brothers stepped back from each other once more. "Dori, go check on Ori. I think he's in his pod." Dori opened his mouth to argue but Dwalin flexed his muscles. The smaller Dwarf had proven on many occasions that he could easily take Dwalin down without breaking a sweat. Only the thought of getting in trouble with Thorin for tearing the ship apart kept them from doing it.

"Fine," Dori said, tugging at the hem of his coat. "At least Ori will appreciate me more." Dwalin stepped aside to allow the shorter Dwarf by. Nori snickered, wiggling his fingers in a farewell gesture. The door swung shut after Dori's exit and Dwalin turned to Nori.

"Alright, big guy," Nori said, falling onto his bed. He wove his fingers behind his head. "What can I do for you?"

"Attercop," Dwalin said. Nori's eyes widened in surprise and he tensed. "You know the name?"

"Aye," Nori said softly. "Where did you hear that name?" All pretense of humor had been dropped from his façade.

"Bilbo was sayin' it in his sleep," Dwalin said. "Figured it was someone you'd know."

"I don't actually know him per se," Nori sad, licking his lips nervously. "But all good thieves on the black market know the name and to stay out of his way."

"Who's Attercop?" Dwalin asked. Nori sat up on his bed, tugging at his beard. Dwalin crossed his arms menacingly. "Nori, tell me who he is."

"Attercop is a thief lord," Nori sighed in resignation. "He practically rules the underground."

"What makes you so nervous about him?"

"He's ruthless. Attercop kills whoever crosses him and takes whatever he wants. He spins himself a web of spies and thieves."

"How would Bilbo know about this Attercop guy?"

"My guess . . . Attercop's the one who took him," Nori said, and Dwalin tensed. "And Attercop doesn't just let his prizes go."

"We're not handin' Bilbo over to him," Dwalin said tersely, earning himself a glare from Nori.

"Of course we're not," Nori said. "We just need to be better than Attercop. Do you want me to tell Thorin?"

"Not yet, Thorin's got enough on his plate. Just keep an eye out for this Attercop guy." Nori nodded and leaned back against the bed. Dwalin turned to leave, pausing at the thief's words.

"Dwalin, if you ever see Attercop, don't let him speak. He'll spin you a web of lies." Nori's words were spoken with a dour expression. Dwalin gave him a terse nod then left to return to Bilbo. He found the Hobbit twitching in his sleep on the eaves of a nightmare.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think of it this time?_


	29. Gridlocked and Grim

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit! Or Firefly, for that matter!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_YOU. SHALL. NOT. PASS! No, seriously, if you didn't read the last chapter again then you'll want to do that. I rewrote it because I didn't like the way it had turned out. So please go back and read that one and then come and read this one. I suppose you could read this one first but you'll be uber confused. Hey, look, I used a Minnesotan word! Tee hee!_

_Now, I got the idea for this chapter during work. The reason I didn't update yesterday? Say it with me! WRITER'S BLOCK! The stupid thing came and wouldn't leave me alone until tonight when I finally got it right._

_Will all my lovely Browncoats (Firefly fans) please shout out what episode this is from?! You'll get a cookie!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Gridlocked and Grim<strong>

Bofur threw himself down the stairs with an urgency only a life-threatening situation could bring. And what a life-threatening situation it was. In the mere minutes it had taken him to close the exhaust valve the levels of debris detected in the engine had skyrocketed. They had risen to the point the debris had begun to break down and actually enter the life support system. The cousins and engineers had two options: shut down the life support system to clear out the debris or leave it running. One would kill them for sure, the other was the equivalent of standing in the cargo bay, pressing a random button, and hoping you didn't get sucked into the black.

Bofur shoved a chair in the dining room out of his way and launched himself down the stairs to the cargo bay. A quick word from Ori had told him their captain and first-mate were sparring down there. Bofur had the sight of Thorin standing on the gangway for a brief moment before the two collided. Thorin gave a surprised shout, stumbling backward. Only Balin's quick reflexes stopped him from flipping over the gangway's railing to a certainly painful experience.

"Thorin," Bofur gasped out, clutching at a stitch in his side. He really needed to get out and exercise more. "There ya are, I need ta - ."

"How many times have I told you to watch where you are going?" Thorin snapped. Bofur blinked in surprise, forgetting about his cramp for a moment. "One of these days you are going to push someone down and they will die. Who is going to be left to clean up the mess?"

"Um . . . not you?" Bofur guessed. Balin shook his head in disbelief, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Laddie," the older Dwarf began, but Thorin interrupted him.

"There is nothing in this universe that should have you risking the lives of others around you," the captain snapped at his engineer. Bofur felt the heat rising to his face. "Now what are in Mahal's name did you need to tell me?"

"Funny ya should mention that," Bofur said with a weak chuckle. "Ya see, we could die any minute now." Balin and Thorin stared at him for several long seconds. The sound of dripping water filled the cargo bay.

"Say that again," Thorin said, his voice cracking.

"We could die."

"We heard that," Balin assured the engineer. "Tell us exactly what is happening with the engine."

"Some debris got in it," Bofur explained as he waved his hands around excitedly. "It must have been sucked in by the life support system."

"The ions," Thorin said in a hushed voice. Bofur gave him a confused look and he shrugged. "Sorry, that was what Kili called the . . . things floating outside."

"Right," Bofur said slowly. "Anyway, something's gotten inta the engine and now it's in the life support system."

"Can't you clear it out?" Balin asked.

"If we landed at a dock. We'd need ta shut down the entire engine ta clear it."

"And that would kill the crew," Thorin said with a nod. "Are there any other options?" he asked his engineer. Bofur could only shrug and shake his head.

"There's not much to be done. It's in the system now. We're breathing it as we speak." Thorin groaned and ran a hand down his face. "Thorin, we're close enough ta Mirkwood . . ."

"I am _not_ asking Thranduil for help," Thorin snarled, surprising Bofur. The normally jovial Dwarf took a careful step back. "He stood by and did nothing while Smaug attacked us."

"Thorin," Balin said. He accommodated his stern voice with his hands planted on his hips. "This is a life and death situation we are talking about. Are you truly ready to risk the life of your entire crew or your own pride?" Thorin opened his mouth to argue, but Balin cut him off. "No, I do not want to hear it. We do not know what this debris is or what harm it could bring to us. Our best hope would be to hail Lord Thranduil and ask for his aid." Thorin glared at his first-mate as he turned away to stare into the cargo bay. Bofur could only watch his captain's shoulders tense.

"There may be another way," Thorin said, not turning back. "Bofur, how long does the oxygen in _the Eagles_ last?"

"Infinitely," Bofur said with a shrug. "It recycles yer air and produces more oxygen while recycling the carbon for use in ammo."

"Thorin, are you thinking what I think you are thinking?" Balin asked. Bofur could only look between the two friends in confusion. Sometimes he didn't understand them. It was as if Balin could read Thorin's mind at times.

"We evacuate the crew," Thorin said as he whirled back around. Bofur had to step back to avoid being beamed in the head by a flying arm. "Have everyone board their _Eagle_ and leave the ship. They will remain nearby while Bofur and Bifur can use oxygen suits to repair the engine."

"Provided Bofur and Bifur are willing to do it," Balin reminded his captain. Thorin looked to Bofur and he nodded eagerly.

"Oh, aye, we can have it done in a jiffy."

"Then run and tell Bifur," Thorin commanded. "Balin and I will spread the word. I will have Kili and Fili bring you the oxygen suits." Bofur nodded and turned to race back up the stairs. A great rumble through the ships stopped his steps in their tracks. He careened sideways into the wall as another tremor ran through the ship. His fingers scrabbled to get a purchase on the stair's railing. Finally, the tremors stopped and he could pull himself upright. Behind him Thorin cursed and Balin grunted in pain.

"What was that?" Thorin asked. "That felt like an earthquake."

"No," Bofur said. His mind reeled with the possibilities of the cause. "That's no earthquake."

"Then what was it?" Balin asked. Bofur turned to see him picking himself up off the floor. Thorin massaged where his ribs has struck the railing. His expression must have been truly terrifying. Both Dwarves froze in their positions, watching him with growing fear.

"Bofur," Thorin said. "What is it? What caused that?"

"Run," Bofur croaked out. "Get ta a pod. RUN!"

O.o.O

Fili grabbed the console as the entire ship tremored. Kili grabbed at the railing to keep himself upright while Ori stumbled past. The youngest of the three Dwarves found himself launched unceremoniously into the copilot's chair. His wide eyes fell on Fili.

"What was that?" he asked in a soft voice.

"I don't know," Fili said. Spinning in the pilot's chair, he checked the monitor to the engine room. The computer screen flashed red briefly under all the dancing ants and fizzling lines. "Something's wrong in the engine room but I can't see what." He slammed a hand against the monitor but it did nothing to clear it up.

"Bifur, what's going on?" Kili shouted down the hallway. No response came from the engine room but for the great screech of metal on metal. Fili grabbed at the engine room's handheld, roaring into it.

"Bifur, report! What's going on in there?" Ori stood shakily from the chair and moved to stand beside Kili, peeking out into the hallway.

"What's going on?" he asked, tears in his eyes. Kili wrapped a comforting arm around him.

"It'll be alright."

"BIFUR, REPORT!" Fili roared. No answer came from the intercom. Instead, it came from down the hall.

"_Run_!" Fili gaped at the Khuzdul. "_RUN_!" Bifur's final shout was followed by the slamming of his bedroom door.

"What's going on?" Fili asked. He never truly got his answer. For at that moment a great shudder ran through the ship. Tortured creaks and screams echoed down from the engine room. The ship jerked sideways, beeps and tones filling the cockpit. Fili clapped his hands over his ears. He saw Kili's eyes widen as a great roar echoed from down the hall and then Kili shouted.

"GET DOWN!" He tackled poor Ori straight down the stairs of the cockpit. They fell out of sight of Fili who spun around, trapped in his chair by the harness. The seconds seemed to grow longer as the roar grew closer. It was as though Fili was watching everything through a slow motion camera.

Tongues of flame flew into the cockpit. They washed over everything straight in front of them and licked against the walls. Fili had a brief moment of terror before his mind flew into overdrive. Whirling his chair around, he threw several switches and fiddled with knobs. The cockpit door slammed shut with a _clang_, locking in place. The existing fire sputtered and died without its source. Fili spun one last dial before slamming a red button down. A new screaming tone warmed him the cargo bay doors had been opened.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Fili said through a dry throat. He waited for several seconds before slamming the bay's door shut again. Another series of switch manually shut down the engine completely, hopefully cutting off the source of the fire. Fili fell back into his chair gasping. Never before had he seen something like that before. It might have even rivaled the Goblin attack on the Misty Mountains. The adrenaline slowly left his system, leaving him with a weak feeling. His eyes flew open.

"Kili," he whispered. Slapping the harness open, he threw himself from the chair. The stumble to the railing drained him of nearly all his energy. What he saw next took it all. Kili lay sprawled under Ori, his neck turned awkwardly in one direction. Blood had begun to pool under his head. Ori laid trembling on top of him, his hands over his head.

"Kili," Fili said again. "No, no, don't be dead. Kili." Dragging himself down the steps, he forced his body to kneel beside his brother's. His shaking hands pressed weakly against his brother's head. "Kili, please don't be dead. Please, please. Oh, Mahal."

"F-Fili?" Ori asked in a squeaking voice. "Wh-What happened?"

"I don't know," Fili said in a croaking voice. "The engine must have overheated or something. I manually shut it down."

"A-And the fire?"

"I shut all the major doors of the ship and opened the cargo bay. The fire would have been blown out that way." Ori laid his head back down on Kili's chest, sobbing. "It'll be alright, Ori."

"N-No it won't," Ori sobbed pitifully. "K-Kili's d-dead because of me. A-And now everyone c-could be d-dead and w-we're all going to d-die." Fili swallowed hard as he continued to card his fingers through Kili's hair. He couldn't argue with the younger Dwarf there. With the engine down there was no life support. Who could tell how long the crew had to live? A realization dawned on Fili and he laughed in relief. Ori lifted his face to glare at him.

"Wh-What are you laughing?"

"Kili will be fine," Fili said, shaking his head. "He has the medical mites in him, remember? They'll repair any damage that's been done to him." Ori sat up slowly. He wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"You think so?"

"I know so," Fili said firmly. "Now come on. We need to find some way to get into communication with the rest of the crew." Ori followed him on shaking legs back up to the second level. "Check the copilot's side for anything useful, I'll try this side," Fili said, nodding to the pilot's side. Ori nodded nervously and hurried to obey. Turning to the monitors, Fili tried a few switches. Nothing worked. Completely shutting down the engine had drained the ship of her power. Still, Fili tried everything with no luck whatsoever.

"Nothing over here," Ori said after a few minutes. Fili fell into the pilot's chair with a sigh. "What do we do?" Fili could only look at him, shaking his head.

"I don't know, Ori. I really don't know."

O.o.O

Bilbo clutched the blankets tighter around himself. He had awoke several minutes ago to a strange roaring sound followed by a _click_. The lights had then proceeded to flicker off, plunging the room into darkness. Bilbo didn't like the dark. It reminded him of bad things. The sound of Dwalin's kicks filled the room.

"Dwalin?" Bilbo said softly. When Dwalin didn't stop kicking the door, he raised his voice to a higher note. "Dwalin?" he tried again. This time he found himself nearly tackled to the bed.

"I'm sorry, _Pundurith_," Dwalin said, wrapping his arms around Bilbo. "I didn't meant to wake you up. Are you alright?"

"I-I think so," Bilbo said in a quivering voice. Dwalin's arms tightened around him. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Somethin' must have happened in the engine room."

"Is that why the power went out?"

"Aye, it means someone's shut down the engine."

"B-But . . . without the engine we don't breathe."

"I know that, laddie."

"What do we do?"

"I don't know."

O.o.O

Nori ripped the room apart. The mattresses were dragged from the beds. The clothes were ripped from the hangers. The dressers were knocked over. Nori didn't do well with being trapped.

O.o.O

Oin began to tidy up the medical bay with shaking hands. He had found himself locked in with no way out. The least he could do was make sure the medical bay was in tiptop shape. Who knew, maybe they'd actually survive this one.

O.o.O

Gloin didn't care if all his reports had been burned by a dragon at this point. All he wanted to know was that is brother was safe. Oin was on the only one who mattered. But no amount of kicking the door seemed to get his point across. He was trapped with no escape.

O.o.O

Bombur sat on his bed, hoping and praying his brother and cousin were alright. He knew they worked in the engine room. He knew the dangers that came with that kind of job. He knew every day was a game of life and death just waiting to take the wrong turn. He _prayed _to Mahal he was wrong.

O.o.O

Bifur couldn't think straight. One minute he had been trying to stop the engine form spinning out of her cradle, and the next the fire had begun to grow. He didn't know where it came from. And at this point, he didn't care. All that mattered was that his cousins were safe and sound. They had been his rocks in a stormy sea of confusion.

O.o.O

Dori stood shakily from his place on the floor of Ori's pod. Thankfully none of the maps had been damaged in the great shaking event. The pod's door glowed red-hot, but other than that everything was fine. He didn't know what had happened. Probably something with the engine.

"Mahal," he whispered, clasping his hands together. "Please, please, _please_ protect Nori and Ori. They're all I have left."

O.o.O

"He's just unconscious," Balin said from his examination of Thorin. Straightening up, he looked at Bofur who sat in the pod's pilot seat. "That was some quick thinking you had back there."

"It was nothin'," Bofur said in a shaky voice.

"It saved our lives," Balin said. "I think that must stand for something." Bofur just shrugged at him.

Thorin and Balin had reacted almost instantly to Bofur's shout, running for the nearest pod. The moment they had reached it, the ship had given a great lurch. Thorin had been thrown forward into the wall where his head had connected with a sickening _crack_. Balin and Bofur had managed to drag him into the pod before it had locked shut. The captain hadn't woken up yet.

"Do you have any idea what happened?" Balin asked.

"It must have been the engine," Bofur said. "She could have overheated and spat fire out. Fili must have rerouted it out the cargo bay."

"Hopefully no one was in the way of that," Balin said softly. Bofur shut his eyes against the very thought. His brother spent most of his time in the kitchen. "And the power has gone out?"

"Aye, if Fili shut down the engine ta stop the fire," Bofur said. Balin looked around himself at the pod.

"Is this one of the working pods?"

"Aye, it should be fully charged from when Gandalf last used it."

"Is there any hope of using it to hail Thranduil for help?"

"No, the power will have knocked her out."

The two Dwarves fell into an uncomfortable silence. Balin took the chance to check on Thorin one more time. Still no sign of waking. Sighing, he sat back on his heels. And then the realization hit him.

"Bofur," he said. The engineer hummed in answer. "If the engine is down, then what are we breathing?"

"What was pumped into the air," Bofur said. "We'll be breathin' carbon dioxide in a few hours' time."

"This is not good," Balin said, pacing over to the door. He dared to grab the red hot handle and yanked.

"That'll do ya no good. Fili'll have locked all the doors ta stop the fire from spreadin' anywhere else."

"Doesn't this pod have her own engine?" Balin asked the engineer. "Could you get her going? Perhaps then we could find some use of it."

"On it," Bofur said, leaping up from his chair. He hurried to open a sliding panel. A small engine sat behind it. "I'll be done in a jiffy."

"We don't have a jiffy," Balin said softly.

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I hope this turned out well. I sure had fun writing it. I'll try and update tomorrow. ;) Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	30. Eerie and Elicited

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the late chapter. Life has caught up with me once again with lots of tests to take and papers to worry about. But here's the next chapter, as promised!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Eerie and Elicited<strong>

"Got it!" Bofur shouted from behind the engine. Balin looked up as he rolled Thorin's sleeve back down. The engineer had stuck his head out from around the now whirling machine. He frowned at the sight of Balin kneeling beside Thorin. "What are ya doin'?"

"He was starting to regain consciousness," Balin explained, straightening up. "I gave him a sedative to keep him asleep." He showed Bofur the syringe in his hand then tossed it back into the medkit he had found. Bofur gaped at him. He swallowed before speaking.

"I think that could be considered treason," Bofur commented. Balin leveled him with a stern glare.

"Laddie," he said with his hands planted on his hips. "Asleep, Thorin is using up less oxygen than both of us together. Awake, we will run out of it faster. As long as I remain conscious then at least someone intelligent on this ship is in command."

"Fair enough," Bofur agreed. He stepped around the engine, wincing as the lights flickered on. "What's next, then?"

"What does the ship have?" Balin asked. "Can we fly her anywhere?"

"Aye," Bofur said. He fell into the pilot seat and began fiddling with the dials. Balin approached the chair, looking over his shoulder. The monitors fizzled with ants and black lines. "But we won't get very far. These pods aren't made ta last lon'."

"Then there is no hope of making it to Thranduil's kingdom?" Balin asked, earning himself a look from Bofur. "Laddie, Thorin's plan has fallen through. We have no other way of escape but to hope the Elf king will help us."

"Ya got a point there," Bofur said, returning to the dials. Nothing he did would stop either the ants or the fizzing. "But she won't make it. Without _the Arkenstone's_ engine running the pod's clamped into her harness."

"What about messages?" Balin asked. "Could she send one of those?" Bofur thought through the question, scratching his chin.

"Aye," he eventually said. "There'd be no way ta tell if the Elves actually got it . . . or who gets it, fer that matter."

"Then it is our only chance," Balin said sadly. "Can you set up a loop for a video call?"

"Aye," Bofur said. Balin stepped back to allow the engineer room to work. His eyes fell on Thorin. Their captain's face was an expression of calm in his sleep. Balin felt terrible for having sedated him, but it was his only choice. No one had any idea how much oxygen they had or how long they had before they froze to death. Already an hour and a half had passed since the ship's engine had spat out fire.

"She's all ready." Balin turned at Bofur's words. The engineer moved from the pilot's seat and motioned for Balin to sit down. The first-mate did so, spinning to face the camera. Bofur leaned over a set of dials, flicking a switch.

"Ready when ya are," he said. Balin nodded to him and he flipped the switch. A red light flickered on just above the camera.

"I am Balin, first-mate to Thorin Oakenshield, captain of _the Arkenstone_," Balin said clearly, looking straight into the camera. He couldn't mess this up. It was their one chance at survival. "We are currently dead in the water. Our engine has malfunctioned and the crew is trapped aboard. It has been an hour and a half since the malfunction and already we are low on oxygen. This is a mayday to any who hear it. Please, help us." Balin paused for a moment, waiting for Bofur to speak.

"Alright," the engineer said. Balin turned to see him twisting a dial three hundred and sixty degrees. "Yer message is on a loop now, it'll replay as long as the engine runs."

"Thank you, Bofur," Balin said. Bofur gave him a smile marred by anxiety. Balin's eyes fell on the engineer's wrist as he reached for another switch. He frowned at the tan strap around his wrist. "What is that?" Bofur followed Balin's pointing finger to his wrist.

"It's a communicator," he said. "Ta Bilbo's translator."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" Balin asked. He ignored his own voice speaking behind him as the loop began. That would eventually drive him insane. Even he got sick of listening to himself speak at times.

"I didn't know if Bilbo had survived the malfunction," Bofur said, scratching under his hat. He made sure to straighten it once he was done. "Did ya want me ta try talkin' ta him?" Balin's narrowed eyes gave him his answer. "Right, on it." Lifting his wrist to his mouth, Bofur spoke into it. "Bilbo, can ya hear me? Answer me, Bilbo." Neither Dwarf noticed the screen behind them flash nor the strange clicking and popping sound that emitted from the speakers.

"_. . . Attercop."_

O.o.O

Bilbo's scream filled the small room. Dwalin swore loudly and jerked sideways in surprise, bashing his head against the wall. He massaged his aching skull as he sat up, trying to see in the dark. Bilbo's screams continued to bounce off the walls, filling his ears.

"Bilbo?" Dwalin said. "_Pundurith_, what happened?" Bilbo didn't answer. He simply continued to scream. It was the ungodly scream that begged for _someone _to save him. Clearly something had terrified the Hobbit. Staggering to his feet, Dwalin stumbled to the bed. He fell onto the mattress and pulled Bilbo into his arms. The Hobbit clutched at him as he continued to scream.

"Hush, _Pundurith_," Dwalin murmured, carding his fingers through Bilbo's hair. He felt the trembles that coursed through the Hobbit's body. Only one thing ever frightened him that much: nightmares. And Bilbo hadn't even been sleeping. "Bilbo, you need to calm down," Dwalin tried. Bilbo showed no signs he'd heard but for starting another scream. "Bilbo, don't make me do this," Dwalin warned. He needed Bilbo coherent enough to speak to and the Hobbit was showing no signs of stopping any time soon. When Bilbo inhaled for the next scream, Dwalin ran his fingers down the Hobbit's chest. He found the abdomen area and pressed lightly on his target.

"Sorry, _Pundurith_," Dwalin said before he pulled his fingers back and jabbed Bilbo in the solar plexus. The Hobbit's scream cut off in a choking sound, his hands flying to his throat. His chest heaved with the difficulty of drawing breath.

"What did you do?" a voice asked above Dwalin. The warrior had barely a moment to look up before a light shone in his eyes. He raised a hand to shield them.

"You damn thief," he growled. "How'd you get out of your room?"

"Air vents," Nori said, moving the light. Dwalin looked up to see him hanging upside from the ceiling. His legs were hooked over the edge and he held a flashlight in his hands. "What'd you do that for?" he asked, motioning to the gasping Bilbo. Dwalin looked at the Hobbit sheepishly.

"He wouldn't stop screaming," he said.

"So you choked him?"

"I didn't choke him."

"You made it hard for him to breathe. What do you call that?"

"Well I didn't wrap my hands around his throat."

"What's the difference?"

The Dwarves stopped arguing when Bilbo gave a great squeak and collapsed sideways. Dwalin blinked in mild surprise. Pressing his fingers against Bilbo's throat, he felt for a pulse. Nori remained blissfully silent, waiting for a diagnosis.

"He's just unconscious," Dwalin said, pulling his hand back. "Must have been the shock."

"Of being choked?" Nori suggested. He winked at Dwalin's glare. "Just saying."

"And I'm just sayin' if you say I choked him one more time, I'll choke _you._"

"Oh, scary," Nori snorted. Dwalin threw his pillow at the Dwarf who just laughed. "Lighten up, I'm just joking."

"Didn't Thorin tell you not to climb through the air vents," Dwalin snapped.

"Aye," Nori said. "And where would I be if I listened to him?" Dwalin ignored the last question in favor of checking on Bilbo. The Hobbit's heart rate had slowed down but barely. It fluttered like a hummingbird's in the Hobbit's chest. "It's probably this room."

"What?" Dwalin said, turning to Nori. The thief turned the flashlight on his face, casting himself into shadows.

"He's probably stressed from being trapped in this room," the thief said. "I bet it reminds him of that casket the smugglers locked him in. He's trapped in a small space with a very high chance of dying." Dwalin looked back to Bilbo, worry growing in his gut.

"We could all die if the engine doesn't get going again," he said. Bilbo twitched as Dwalin carded his fingers through his hair. "What can we do about it?"

"We can start by getting Bilbo out of this room," Nori said. Tucking the flashlight under one arm, he motioned to Dwalin. "Give him here and I'll get him to the living area."

"Why don't you just pick the locks and let us all out?" Dwalin demanded.

"Because these locks are pressurized cylinders," Nori said with a scoff. Dwalin wilted at that. "I'd need the engine online in order to that. At least I can get Bilbo out of this stuffy room and into a wider space. Once he wakes up we can make some plans to escape." Dwalin hesitated, thinking through his options, before speaking.

"Alright," he said. Scooping Bilbo into his arms, he rose from the bed and approached Nori. "Get him out to the living area and try to wake him up." Nori tossed Dwalin the flashlight and hooked his hands under Bilbo's armpits.

"Will do," he said before using his legs to drag himself and Bilbo back up. Dwalin watched as the two disappeared into the wide air vents.

"Do you need the flashlight back?" Dwalin asked, brandishing the small machine.

"Nah, I got more up here," Nori said. His face appeared back over Dwalin and he winked. "Not to worry, tough guy, we'll have you all out of here in a jiffy." And then he was gone, taking Bilbo with him. Dwalin returned to his bed and sat down on it. He fell back against the wall.

"We don't have a jiffy."

O.o.O

"Tauriel." The captain of the guard paused at her name and turned to the Elf who had spoken. He had a headset pressed against a pointed ear, a frown on his face.

"What is it?" Tauriel asked. The Elf raised one finger to silence her and listened intently. Finally, he turned to his captain.

"We have received a distress signal," he said. "A ship has been stranded in the Mirkwood without either power or life support."

"Is it an Elvish ship?" Tauriel asked.

"No, Dwarvish by the sounds of it."

"Leave it for their own people," Tauriel ordered. She turned to leave but the Elf spoke again.

"At least listen to it, Tauriel." Tauriel sighed but turned on his heel and marched toward the Elf who handed her the headset. She pressed the headphone to her ear.

"_Our engine has malfunctioned,"_ the words were spoken with a thick Dwarvish accent. Tauriel made to hand the headset back when the next words came through. _"And the crew is trapped – Attercop – It has been an hour and a half."_

"Play it back," Tauriel ordered.

"No need," the Elf said. "Whoever sent this has it on a loop. The message will play again. And indeed it did."

"_I am Balin, first-mate to Thorin – Attercop – captain of the Arkenstone. We are currently dead in the water. Our engine has malfunctioned and the crew is trapped – Attercop – It has been an hour and a half since the malfunction and already we are low on oxygen. This is a mayday to – Attercop – who hear it. Please, help us."_

"The Spiders," Tauriel breathed. The Elf eased the headset out of her tense hands. "Locate the source of the message," she ordered. "Then set a course for it." Turning, she fled down the hall.

"Where are you going?" the Elf called after her.

"To find Legolas."

O.o.O

Bilbo awoke to a pounding in his head and a song in his ears. Several seconds passed before it even began to make any sense to him.

"_So, the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,_

_A jig that would wake the dead,_

_And up and down he quickened his tune,_

_While the landlord shook the man in the moon,_

_It's after three, he said!"_

"Bofur," Bilbo groaned. The singing Dwarf started the song over again, oblivious to Bilbo's headache. Lifting his wrist to his mouth, Bilbo spoke into it. "Bofur, stop." Mercifully the Dwarf stopped singing. There was a moment's pause before he spoke again.

"_Bilbo! Yer awake!"_ Bilbo winced at the volume. Sitting up, he pressed a hand against his pounding skull. He didn't feel the hand that wrapped around his wrist or the breath against his skin.

"Bilbo just woke up, he has a headache. Leave him be, Bofur." Bilbo peeked out of the corner of his eye to see Nori speaking into the microphone. The thief winked at him.

"_Right, sorry, Bilbo,"_ Bofur said. _"But talk ta me as soon as ya can. We need yer help."_ Bilbo tugged his wrist from Nori's grip and spoke into it.

"Will do, Bofur," he said. "Talk to you soon."

"_Sure thin'!"_ Bilbo winced at the volume and massaged his head again. The headache was only growing worse by the second. It made it hard to focus on anything. Eventually, he looked up to find himself sitting on the dining table. Nori sat in a chair beside him, tipping back dangerously.

"What happened?" he asked. Nori offered him a cup of water and he accepted it gratefully, taking careful sips.

"You started screaming," Nori said. Bilbo paused and looked at him in confusion. "Don't you remember that?" Bilbo shook his head. "Huh," Nori said, scratching his chin. "Weird. Well, Dwalin couldn't get you to stop so he jabbed your solar plexus. It made you choke and then you passed out. I brought you out here for some fresh air."

"How did you do that?" Bilbo asked. "The door was locked."

"The air vents," Nori said, motioning above them. Bilbo looked up to see a grate hanging by two hinges. A black streak in his peripheral vision caught his attention and he turned his head. The wall around the door leading down the cargo bay had been scorched black. Even the floor and ceiling were burned. Turning his gaze down, Bilbo saw the steel table had been turned black by fire.

"Did the engine catch on fire?" Bilbo asked. Nori could only shrug.

"You'd have to ask Bofur." Bilbo gave the thief a dubious look and Nori raised his hands in defense. "Hey, I don't know anything about engines. That's Bofur's specialty." Raising his wrist to his mouth, Bilbo spoke into it once more.

"Bofur," he said.

"_Aye!"_

"Did the engine catch on fire?"

"_I couldn't tell ya,"_ Bofur said. Bilbo sighed. Well _that_ was helpful. _"I wasn't up there when it happened. Bifur was, though. I don't know what happened to him."_

"Is there anything we can do about it?" Bilbo asked.

"_Since I can't see the engine I don't know. Unless Bifur's still in the engine room then there's not much we can do there. Balin and I have sent out a mayday to the Elves."_ Bilbo groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Even if the Elves did get the message there was no telling how long it would take for them to reach _the Arkenstone_. Already Bilbo could feel the temperature dropping.

"Right," Bilbo said, making his decision. "Bofur, I'm going to fix the engine." He turned to Nori who had raised his eyebrows. "I need a way into the engine room."

"_Yer what?"_

"The air vents," Nori said, pointing up. "Just follow them up. You'll have to climb vertically to get up to the first floor, but there's handholds. After that, you just act like you're walking through the ship. The vents follow each room."

"Easy enough," Bilbo said. Nori shrugged unsurely. "Can you get me there?" The thief shook his head at that.

"I'm drained," he told Bilbo. "I don't know if I can crawl through anymore vents." Bilbo's gut twisted at that. Without Nori's help he could get lost in the ship. How much more trouble could they get into during that time? "I can give you a boost up, though," Nori said. He stood from the chair and climbed onto the table beside Bilbo.

"_Wait, Bilbo, how are ya goin' ta fix the engine?"_

"I know enough about engines," Bilbo said into the microphone. "The Tooks spend enough time tinkering with them. I'm sure I can fix it."

"_What's a _Took_?"_

"Ready?" Nori asked. Bilbo nodded and stood. He stepped into the linked hands Nori offered him as a step-up. The Dwarf easily lifted him high enough that his fingers grabbed the edge of the air vent.

"A bit higher," Bilbo grunted. Nori obliged and he managed to hook his elbows against the air vent's walls. "Got it!"

"Alright, drag yourself up and move on. Good luck." Bilbo only grunted in response and he pulled himself up into the air vent. It was surprisingly easier than Bilbo had though it would be.

The air vents themselves were a rather tight fit for a Dwarf and still small for a Hobbit's standards. Bilbo would have to pull himself along by the elbows until he reached a larger area. The air in the vents was stale, the metal cold under his touch.

"Right, onward and forward."

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I'm still giving all my Browncoats a chance to answer the question: what episode of Firefly is this based off of?_

_Wait, what! I can't just end the chapter here! I just got a great idea! Let me see if I can't write another one tonight._


	31. Apparitions and Ailments

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Sorry for the wait. I had to study for an exam last night. I'm pretty sure I failed it anyway._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Apparitions and Ailments<strong>

Nori hadn't been kidding. The air vents leading to the first floor ran straight up and down along the wall. A fall from this height would mean finding oneself all the way on the third level's air vent system. Bilbo swallowed hard as he stared up into the disappearing black of the duct. The climb had to be at least twelve feet up, nearly four times his height. A recent inspection of the vents revealed what Nori had called 'footholds' were nothing more than the jutting seams of the air vents. The climb would be treacherous at best.

"Blast it," Bilbo muttered to himself.

"_Bilbo, do ya even have any idea what yer doin'?"_ Bofur's voice carried over the transmitter in his ear. Bilbo sighed and lifted the microphone to his mouth.

"Not one bit," he said. "But right now I'm the only one who can fix the engine. The rest of you are trapped . . . hopefully." Bofur didn't argue with that. In fact, no more words came over the transmitter. Bilbo waited a respectful amount of time then deemed their conversation finished.

Turning in the air vent proved to be both a painful and difficult job. Bilbo managed it by curling in on himself then easing himself back in a somersault. The task ended with a ripped shirt and a probably scratched back. Nonetheless, Bilbo's legs now dangled in the vertical vents. Reaching out with his toes, he found the parallel horizontal vent. He managed to ease himself out of the vent he sat in until he was supporting himself with one foot on either vent.

"Alright," Bilbo said to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Not so hard." Looking around himself, he found an outcrop for the screws nearly a foot above his head. He reached up and grasped it with his fingers. Pulling himself up with only his hands was hard until he managed to press his feet flat against the wall on either side of him. He shifted his feet slightly against the walls, the metal cool under his touch. Already he could feel the beading sweat on his forehead chilling. He didn't have much time. Bilbo had just began to shuffle his hands and feet up the wall when a voice spoke through the transmitter.

"_Ya alright there, Bilbo?"_ Bilbo gave a great yelp and felt his sweaty palms slip. Only the chance of his feet pressing harder against the walls stopped him from falling. _"Bilbo, ya there?"_ Bilbo looked around himself, as though searching for help. _"Bilbo?"_ Finally, Bilbo dared to lift a shaking hand to his mouth.

"I'm in the air vents," Bilbo said, his voice quivering with the words. "I'd appreciate it if you would not talk. I'm trying to concentrate."

"_Right, sorry,"_ Bofur said, sounding sheepish. _"Let me know when you get ta the engine room."_

"Fine," Bilbo snapped. "Now please shut up so I can concentrate." When no other words came from Bofur, he nodded firmly. Bofur keeping quiet meant one less thing to worry about. Bilbo turned his attention back to shuffling up the air vents.

The climb was both deadly and terrifying. Deadly because one wrong move would send Bilbo plummeting more than twenty feet to the ground. Terrifying because Bilbo didn't like falling. It would be just like his nightmares. No one would be there to catch him when he fell. He'd be all alone. Just like in the beginning. Just like in his nightmares.

Bilbo had made it nearly halfway through his climb when it happened. A scratching sound against air vent walls caught his attention. He froze, his breath catching in his chest as he listened. There it went again. A strange scratching and clicking sound; as if someone else was in the air vents. The scratching stopped momentarily and when no other sounds came, Bilbo breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he'd just been imagining it. Shuffling his hands upward, he returned to the climb. He'd moved only a few more paces when the sound returned. This time it was accompanied by a single word.

"_Attercop."_

Bilbo froze. The scratching sound resumed, this time closer. It didn't sound even remotely human. It sounded as though whatever was moving had more than two legs, maybe even two. Bilbo's chest constricted as the scratching sound drew nearer by the minute.

_Footsteps against the grated floor._

"No, no," Bilbo muttered, pressing his forehead against the cool vent wall.

_Hands grabbed at him, dragging him out from under the bench._

"Please, no," The scratching sound drew ever nearer and nearer, the popping and clicking hiss reaching his ears.

"_Ripe for the picking. Attercop will be happy with this one."_

Bilbo tried to shift his hand upward but he found he couldn't move it. His brain was sending the orders but his hand was refusing to move. His limbs trembled in both terror and the effort to hold himself up. He could have sworn the walls were closing in on him.

"_Attercop will be happy with this one."_

The walls were constricting. He bit down on his arm to stop his scream. The pungent taste of leather and sharp taste of something vaguely familiar danced along his tongue. The pain didn't help the terror from growing in his chest.

"_Attercop will be happy."_

His breaths came out in frenzied gasps. Black dots swarmed over his vision. He couldn't help himself, couldn't save himself. They were going to get him. He bit down harder, pain lancing down his arm. His finger trembled against the walls.

"_Attercop."_

His fingers slipped.

O.o.O

Fili trembled underneath the blanket, his teeth chattering. Several hours had passed since he'd shut the ship completely down. He and Ori had managed to straighten Kili's neck out without his younger brother waking up. Kili had remained that way since, his chest rising and falling with each slow breath. Fili hoped he'd stay that way. It was better that Kili didn't know what was happening.

A small whimper caught Fili's attention and he looked over to see Ori curled up against the wall with his back to Fili. It had been the youngest Dwarf who had found the two blankets. Fili had opted to take one and share it with his brother – pulling Kili close to himself – leaving Ori to take the other. Another whimper escaped Ori and Fili could see his shoulders shaking.

"Or-ri," Fili croaked, trying to stop his chattering teeth. Ori sniffled, a sign that he was listening. "C-Come here." The Dwarf didn't move at first. Several long minutes passed before he finally slid across the floor to Fili's side. Fili wrapped his blanket around the younger Dwarf, squashing Kili between them.

"It'll be alright," Fili told Ori softly. "We'll get out of this."

"H-How?" Ori asked, wiping at his tear-stained cheeks. "W-We're all locked in w-with nowhere to go."

"Thorin'll think of something," Fili said. "Or maybe your brother will. They're both smart enough to get us all out of here."

"Nori was in his room," Ori muttered. Fili pulled him closer. The shared body heat gave him a comforting feeling. "And Dori was in my pod. What if Dori left the pod before you locked the doors?" Fili could heard the panic rising in Ori's voice.

"He didn't," Fili said immediately, trying to sound reassuring. "Dori's smart enough to know better than to leave the pod before you get back. He'd have waited for you." Ori sniffled and pressed up against Fili. An uncomfortable silence fell between them, broken only by shuddering breaths and the chattering of teeth.

"H-How's Kili?" Ori asked after a while. Fili shifted his head to check on his brother's head wound. Tilting Kili's head forward, Fili examined the bruises along his neck.

"He's better," he said, letting his brother's head fall back. "His should be fixed by now and the cut on his head is gone." Ori snuggled against him with a soft mutter.

"What do you think that thumping sound was?" the younger Dwarf asked. Fili tilted his head back thoughtfully.

Nearly three hours ago, before the temperature had really started to drop, he and Ori had been searching the cockpit for anything useful. Fili knew it inside and out, but sometimes Kili liked to hide new things in there. The search had found them dried food and canteens of water Kili had stashed away for emergency use. Fili had been delighted with his younger brother's paranoia. It might have just saved their life. At that moment a _slam_ had echoed through the air vents. Ori had leapt to his feet in surprise, asking Fili what it had been. Fili still had the same now as he had three hours ago.

"I don't know," he said. "I really don't know, Ori."

O.o.O

Nori held his hand up to the light, inspecting the way the light flickered off his silver rings. The beam struck the diamond and shattered into a rainbow. The thief could only snort in amusement and turn his hand this way and that. Every worrying thought about Bilbo getting to the engine room fled from his head, his focus entirely on the diamond ring. Who cared about not hearing from Bilbo for over five hours? The ring was so much more beautiful.

If only it had been real.

O.o.O

"_Now, Bilbo," Belladonna said to her son, seated on the edge of his bed. "What have I told you about waking up from nightmares?" She stroked back his bangs. Bilbo leaned into her touch, yearning for her not to stop._

"_I shouldn't do it anymore," Bilbo said dutifully. His mother smiled down at him and patted his cheek comfortingly. "But I saw it, Mama, I saw a ghost in the closet."_

"_There is no ghost in the closet," Belladonna said firmly. She stood from the bed and marched over to the small door. "Let me show you." She reached for the round door knob._

"_No!" Bilbo screeched, diving under his covers. He heard his mother sigh and the door clicking open._

"_Come on now, Bilbo," Belladonna said. Bilbo peeked out from under the covers to see his mother standing beside the open door. "You see? Nothing here." She was wrong. Why couldn't she see? It was standing right there behind her. A tall creature with bulbous eyes and long limbs. The creature broke out into a grin, baring pointy white teeth. It raised one finger to its lips. Bilbo shuddered, his eyes wide._

"_There's nothing in here," Belladonna said as she shut the closet door. The creature's grin only grew as it vanished. "Now go back to bed, darling, I'll see you in the morning." Bilbo couldn't argue with his mother, too afraid of angering her. His mother kissed him atop the head then left, flicking the lights off. Bilbo found himself plunged into total black._

_Curling up, Bilbo fell into a fitful sleep. His nightmares were filled with terrors of long-limbed creatures with sharp teeth and grabbing fingers. He tossed and turned in his sleep, moaning to himself. Why wouldn't the creature just leave him alone?_

Thump. Thump. Thump. _Bilbo's eyes flew open at the steps moving across his wooden floor. They were heavy, as though the newcomer was wearing boots. _Thump. Thump. Thump._ The steps drew nearer. Bilbo held his breath as something leaned over him. Guttural words were muttered into his pointed ear. Finally, whoever it was drew back and the steps retreated it. Bilbo sighed a breath of relief. Only for it catch when the steps returned, this time dragging something along with it. The steps stopped by his bedside and the stranger fell onto something._

_Daring to roll over, Bilbo peeked out from under his covers. The silhouette of something – a Dwarf, it looked like – sat shadowed against the moonlight. He held a sword in his hands, the very tip of it resting against the floor. The Dwarf turned his head to look at Bilbo and Bilbo gasped. Never before had he seen such blue eyes. The Dwarf nodded to him and turned his eyes back to the closet door._

_Fingers trailed against Bilbo's ear and the Hobbit tilted his head backward to look up. A Dwarf perched precariously on the head of his bedframe. His star-shaped hair stood out in the darkness. The Dwarf winked down at him then nodded to the foot of his bed. Bilbo looked down to see two more Dwarf seated on the railing. One had two axes strapped to his back while the other wore a funny hat._

"_Do not worry, Bilbo Baggins," the Dwarf seated beside his bed said in a deep voice. "We will protect you tonight. Sleep well."_

The sounds of chirping birds greeted Bilbo as he woke up. The cool morning breeze tickled through his hair, causing it to ruffle against his neck. Sighing contently to himself, Bilbo opened his eyes. Golden leaves rustled in the breeze around him. The tree's strong branches curved outward and upward from him. Funny, he didn't remember falling asleep in a tree. Rolling over, Bilbo looked around himself. The tree's branches seemed to continue on forever. He could see no end to the golden leaves. Never before had he seen something so beautiful. Something fluttered past Bilbo's eye. He turned his head to follow the small black butterfly. It flew straight up, disappearing into the branches above.

"Huh," Bilbo said to himself. Another butterfly fluttered past his face. This one was identical to his friend, black and flying straight upward. Bilbo watched it vanish with a frown. Several seconds later another followed. Finally, he looked down to see a butterfly crawling along his arm. It fluttered its wings and floated upward past Bilbo's nose. Another butterfly crawled out from under his gauntlet.

Eager to see more, Bilbo fumbled with the ties of his gauntlet until it fell to the ground. And then the air around him was filled with butterflies. Each black beauty flew straight up into the tree branches. Standing on trembling legs, Bilbo grabbed the tree branch above and pulled himself up. He followed the beautiful creatures through the tree branches. Something, he didn't know what, urged him to catch one of the butterflies and keep it. Every time he grew closer to one, though, it would flutter upward.

Finally, Bilbo's fingers clung to a flat surface. He pulled himself up into the tree fort he'd had as a child. A giggle burst from his lips at the mere sight of it. He hadn't been up here in years. The black butterflies fluttered through the tree branches. Ducking under one, Bilbo followed them earnestly. He just _had_ to have one. The crawl was treacherous against his knees, but he could stop himself. Those butterflies were so _beautiful_.

Several yards through the crawl, Bilbo planted a hand surely against the tree branch. A _click_ reached his ears and the branch swung out from under him. He had a moment to think _this isn't right_ before he was falling downward. His head connected with a hard surface and he saw stars.

O.o.O

Fifty-seven . . . fifty-eight . . . fifty-nine . . . sixty. Dwalin stopped his pacing long enough to add the numbers together. Seven hours. Bilbo had been gone for seven hours. And during that time the temperatures had plummeted to the point Dwalin had pulled all the blankets and jackets he could find around himself. Then the visions had started: bubbles floating around the room, gold dripping from the ceiling, silver mice running along the floor. That didn't stop Dwalin from worrying, though. He always worried about Bilbo.

O.o.O

Bilbo groaned as his eyes fluttered open. Thankfully no bright lights shone around him, leaving him in the blissful dark. His head ached and pounded at a certain point. Sitting up, Bilbo rubbed his head. He drew his hand back to see a small butterfly sitting on his finger. It fluttered its wings before dropping to the floor beside him. A memory floated to the front of his mind. Raising his wrist to his mouth, Bilbo spoke into it.

"Bofur," he croaked, watching another butterfly float past his head. "I'm here. I'm in the engine room." No answer came. "Bofur?"

"_Seventy-six barrels of ale on the wall, seventy-six barrels of ale, you take one down and pass it around, you've got seventy-five barrels of ale on the wall."_

_That_ wasn't Bofur. Bilbo had never heard Balin sing so badly before. Shaking his head, Bilbo pushed himself to his feet. He'd worry about Bofur and Balin later. Right now he needed to fix the engine. The engine that was currently sitting black and cold in her cradle. Goosebumps ran up Bilbo's arms and he ran his hands down them. They weren't from fear, though. The engine room was freezing.

"Right, fix the engine," Bilbo muttered to himself.

He stumbled forward to begin his inspection. Several minutes later found him leaning into the engine. He'd found the part that had jammed. Somehow one of the pipes had twisted out of place and had been forced to bend in the wrong direction by the spinning engine. No amount of tugging would pull the pipe loose, so Bilbo searched around the engine room until he found a wrench that would work. Ignoring the black butterflies, Bilbo returned to the engine. He jammed the wrench against the head of the screw and twisted. Three yanks loosened the screw enough for it to be both easier and quicker.

And then the wrench slipped. It clattered to the floor beneath the engine. Bilbo's loud curse was interrupted by a shuddering cough. His breaths were getting harder to draw. Wiping his mouth, he crouched down and felt around for the wrench. He found it fairly quickly and returned to unscrewing the engine. The pipe came loose fairly easily. It was a simple task of finding another pipe amongst the jumble in a care Bilbo found and replacing it. Simple being an antonym, of course. Bilbo's fingers trembled with every move he made. His lungs shuddered with his breaths. He didn't know how much longer he could last.

Finally, _finally,_ the pipe was in place. Bilbo stumbled along the length of the engine until he found the control panel. Tapping a few buttons, he reversed the flow of the air and turned the life support on. A warning flickered red, telling him he needed to return the oxygen pipe to the proper settings.

"In a minute," Bilbo muttered to himself. A black butterfly fluttered past his eyes and he followed it back down to his arm. Several more fluttered down to roost on the floor of the engine room.

"_Check oxygen levels at once_,_"_ a cool voice said. Bilbo ignored it, waiting impatiently. _"Check oxygen levels at once . . . Check oxygen levels at once."_

"Fine," Bilbo snapped at the machine. He tapped a few more keys to return the oxygen pipe to the proper settings. Grabbing a lever, he jerked it backward. The engine screeched in its cradle as it came to life, reaching a whir in only seconds. Bilbo breathed in a gust of fresh air that washed over him. He had successfully managed to clear the life support system of any and all debris. Wouldn't his captain be so proud of him? Swaying slightly, Bilbo allowed the relief to flood through his veins. Black dots swarmed over his vision and he pitched forward. He was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

"_Bilbo!"_

"Pundurith_!"_

"_Is he breathin'?"_

"_Step back, you are crowding him."_

"_Mahal look at his head."_

"_Look at his _arm_!"_

"_Stay with us, Bilbo."_

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I think that went better than the original chapter did. Don't you?_


	32. Nuisances and Networks

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Guess who had an exam in their Fruits Class? I did! Guess who studied for it? Half the class! Guess who didn't study? The other half! Guess who probably failed the exam? The whole class! . . . Damn professor._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. The first time we get a hint at what in the world's going on. ;) Also, I'm starting to work on Fellowship of the Ring: Into Space some more. Pippin knocked on my door this morning with a rather interesting fact he hadn't told me before. Tom Bombadil and Goldberry stopped by too. Interesting characters, them. Anyway!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

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><p><strong>Nuisances and Networks<strong>

Bilbo didn't wake up gasping or screaming this time. He didn't bolt upright in bed, arms reaching out for a mother who wouldn't be there. He didn't toss and turn in terror. Instead, he slowly regained consciousness. One by one his senses came back to him, starting with his hearing.

"Do ya think he'll wake up soon?" a worried voice asked above him. The usual jovial tone remained hidden under the loopy tones of slurred worry.

"Not if you keep poking him in the ear," a second voice said. This one sounded clearer, the silky words running smoothly together.

"But I'm worried about him. Did ya see how deep he bit?"

"I think we all did, Bofur."

"Poor laddie. What do ya think it's like in his head?"

"Pounding," Bilbo croaked.

"Bilbo!" Bofur cried happily, and Bilbo cracked his eyes open with a smile. "Yer awake!" The grinning Dwarf leaned over the head of Bilbo's bed, his hat tipping dangerously sideways. Nori leaned in from the side, clearly not as worried about Bilbo as Bofur was. He offered Bilbo a nod and a wink in greeting.

"How long have I been out?" Bilbo asked before swallowing against his dry throat.

"Couple hours," Bofur said, bouncing up and down where he sat. "We found ya unconscious in the engine room. Oin wanted ta take ya ta the sick bay but I told him he couldn't." Bilbo frowned at that and shifted his gaze to the ceiling above Bofur. Now that he thought about it, the ceiling _was_ rather high for being in the medical bay. In fact, he didn't seem to be in any of the other rooms but for . . .

"The cargo bay," Bilbo said. Bofur nodded happily at that. "Why the cargo bay?"

"Kili and Thorin both got hurt when the engine spat fire," Nori said. Reaching forward, he took Bilbo's shoulders in a careful grip and pulled him into an upright position. Bofur crawled onto the mattress Bilbo had been laid on and sat directly behind the Hobbit. He provided a support for Bilbo, something the Hobbit was thankful for. Nori lifted a cup for Bilbo and the Hobbit drank from it greedily.

"Oin figured it'd be easier to take care of all three of you if you were in the same area," Nori continued to explain. "So we brought some mattresses down from the bedrooms and laid them out." Bilbo paused in his drinking, thinking through all of Nori's words. He lowered the cup from his mouth to speak.

"Kili and Thorin," he said, and Nori hummed to show he was listening. "Are they alright?"

"See for yourself," Nori said with a nod to Bilbo's right. Bilbo turned his head to see Thorin and Kili laid out on mattresses. Both wore serene expressions of sleep. Kili's head had been wrapped in gauze to hold an ice pack there. Fili laid beside his brother, his arm draped over Kili's still frame.

"They'll be fine," Bofur said, running his fingers through Bilbo's hair. "Thorin's just had a knock ta the head and the medical mites fixed Kili up good as new."

"Have either of them woken up yet?" Bilbo asked Nori. Bofur continued to card his fingers through Bilbo's hair, grabbing a good amount near his ear.

"Thorin woke up for a few seconds," Nori said. Taking Bilbo's cup, he filled it with more water and handed it back. "But he started shouting about an attack on Orcs and Oin dosed him up with something strong. He hasn't woken up since."

"And Kili?" Bilbo asked. He ignored the insistent tugs at the hair beside his ear. Bofur's fingers twitched back and forth in an unusual pattern.

"He's been unconscious for a few hours," Nori said, leaning back. He eyed Bofur mischievously before turning his attention back to Bilbo. "Fili told us he hit his head falling down the stairs, broke his neck saving Ori's life." Bilbo's eyes widened in shock. "Don't worry," Nori said quickly. "Ori's fine. Shaken up, but fine. Dori's staying with him right now."

"Thank Eru," Bilbo sighed, relaxing back against Bofur. The Dwarf's fingers left his ear and switched to the other one. The tickling actions returned.

"You were pretty brave back there," Nori said. A red flush crept up Bilbo's neck. "Not many Dwarves would have been willing to climb through air vents. We get a little claustrophobic."

"I-It was nothing," Bilbo said. Nori leveled him with an even glare to match Dori's.

"That wasn't nothing, Bilbo," the thief said. "You saved our lives. Granted, it took you a while, but you saved them."

"What _did_ take ya so lon'?" Bofur asked. Bilbo swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat. "Bilbo, somethin' wron'?"

"No," Bilbo croaked out. Clearing his throat, he tried to smile as though nothing was wrong. "I'm fine. I just passed out for a bit in the air vents." Nori's eyebrows rose at that and Bofur's fingers paused for a moment.

"Ya passed out?" the engineer repeated. Bilbo nodded quickly, feeling his hair jerked with each nod.

"Bofur," he said through gritted teeth. Bofur's chuckles vibrated through his back. "What are you doing to my hair?"

"Nothin'," the engineer chortled.

"Bofur," Bilbo growled. He reached back to hit his friend but missed as Bofur leaned back. "You're not _braiding_ it, are you?"

"Wouldn't even dream of it," Bofur said. Nori snickered, fiddling with his own braids. Bilbo wagged a finger at him.

"You're not allowed to laugh at me," he said.

"Why not?" Nori asked with a wicked wink.

"Because you're not being helpful," Bilbo said. He tried to jerk his hair from Bofur's grip but the Dwarf held on. It was either suffer through the braiding or lose a chunk of hair. Bilbo didn't know which was worse.

"Your hair's gotten long enough now," Nori pointed out. "And we Dwarves can get pretty bored when we're high on toxins."

"I'm not high," Bofur countered as he continued braiding Bilbo's hair.

"You were high as a kite when we finally got you and Balin out," Nori said. "Oin said you had a big dose in your lungs. Who knows how long it could take for the toxins to leave you."

"I'm not high!"

"Aye, you are."

"Am not!"

"Can you say the alphabet backward?" Bofur blinked at that, his fingers pausing. Bilbo huffed and tugged at his hair, but it was useless. Even distracted, Bofur had a strong grip. He heard a muttering behind him. "And no reciting the alphabet forward to help you!"

"Fine," Bofur grumbled. "Z . . . Y . . . X . . ."

"The _Sindarin_ alphabet."

"I don't speak Sindarin!"

"Fine, Quenya!"

And then Bofur said something that had Bilbo choking on his breath. He vaulted sideways in his laughter, only stopped by Bofur's strong arms. The words didn't stop, though. Bofur continued to spit filthy curses at Nori who howled with laughter. Upside down on the mattress, Bilbo could see Thorin clearly. The captain of _the Arkenstone _was watching him through cracked eyelids, a smile on his face. Bilbo returned the smile with one of his own.

O.o.O

Fili sighed as he leaned back against the wall. Agent Smith sat on his stool, his hands on his knees as he stared at Fili in mild shock. They had been speaking for hours – seven, maybe, Fili thought – only now reaching a decent point to end his part of the story. Fili had hoped to be able to get farther, maybe even to Thranduil's finding of Bilbo, but it was hopeless. They had talked for too long already.

Agent Smith straightened up on his stool and Fili's eyes flicked up to him. The Man snapped the manila folder shut. He turned sad eyes on Fili.

"Who is this Attercop character?" he asked Fili slowly. Fili smirked at that.

"That'd ruin the story," Fili said. "Sorry, you'll have to talk to Gloin or Balin about him."

"Bilbo seemed rather obsessed with him," Agent Smith said. "Don't you think?" Fili narrowed his eyes at him. He wanted nothing more than to punch the Man in that moment.

"Again, talk to Balin or Gloin. It'll all make sense in the end."

"Those conversations will have to wait until tomorrow," Agent Smith said. The door to the cell opened and two guards entered. Fili tensed on his bed. "I'm sorry, Fili, but you're being sent to a juvenile detention facility."

"What about Kili?" Fili asked. "Will I see him before I leave?"

"You, Kili, and Ori will be traveling together," Agent Smith said as he stood, tucking the manila folder under his arm. He nodded to the two guards. "Transfer prisoner 1-11 to the loading bay and wait for further orders."

"Yes, sir," the taller guard said, following the words with a salute. Agent Smith waved it away.

"Don't hurt him too much," the agent said. "He should cooperate with you. If he doesn't - ." Fili leaned forward to ensure he was heard.

"Can I see Thorin?" Agent Smith paused in speaking and turned to look at Fili. He blinked in surprise. "Can I see my uncle?" The agent hesitated for a moment before he nodded slowly.

"Agent Smith," the shorter guard warned in a thick accent.

"It'll be fine," Agent Smith said. "There's nothing they can do. It's the last time they'll see each other for a very long time." The shorter guard looked ready to argue but Agent Smith clapped him on the shoulder. "Do as you're told, Zwingli. Don't make me report you to Beilsmith again." Zwingli huffed at that through his mask but didn't argue anymore. Agent Smith clapped him on the shoulder one more time then left them alone in the cell with Fili.

"We'll give you ten minutes," Zwingli snapped at Fili. "Get up."

Slowly, Fili stood from his bed. The guard marched forward to unlock his handcuffs, moving Fili's wrists behind the Dwarf's back and locking them once more. He grabbed Fili's upper arm in a strong grip and shoved him forward. Fili obeyed the silent command with nothing more than a glare. Once in the hallway, the taller guard grabbed his other arm in a strong grip and together he and Zwingli marched him down the hall. They hadn't gone very far down the hall when Zwingli jerked Fili to a stop. He turned the Dwarf to face the steel door.

"Ten minutes," he hissed in reminder. "Then you're leaving this place on a ship." Fili gave him his best sarcastic smile.

"Thanks for the reminder," he said. Zwingli scowled at him before pressing a card against a reader. A green light flickered and the door slid open with a hiss. Fili found himself shoved unceremoniously into the cell, the door sliding shut. Thorin looked up from his seat on the cot. His eyes widened at the sight of his nephew.

"Fili," he said, standing. Fili stepped further into the cell. His uncle met him halfway, pulling him into a hug. "Are you alright? Where is Kili?"

"They're probably getting him now," Fili said, his voice muffled by Thorin's shoulder. He felt his uncle's fingers fumbling against the handcuffs around his wrists. "They're sending us away." The fingers stopped and Thorin pulled back to look Fili in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked. "Where are they sending you?"

"To a detention facility," Fili told him. Thorin frowned. "They've decided we don't need to stay for the trial. Uncle, this'll screw up the whole plan."

"Aye, I know," Thorin said. Stepping back from Fili, he began to pace the length of the cell. "Nori has already put his plan into action. Undoubtedly he will have learned of the Government's plans. Perhaps he could get word around to everyone else."

"What about us?" Fili said. "What do Kili, Ori, and I do? Sit around and wait for you to come save us?"

"Of course not," Thorin said. "Fly high, higher than you ever have before. But wait to leave the nest until you are old enough." Fili nodded slowly at the code. "Good luck, Fili, I will see you soon."

"See you soon, Uncle," Fili said. Thorin squeezed his shoulder and bumped their foreheads together. Fili offered him a smile before turning and kicking the door.

"I'm done in here," he shouted. "You can take me away now." The door slid open to reveal a scowling Zwingli. The guard looked between the Dwarves suspiciously before he grabbed Fili by the arms and dragged him forward. Looking over his shoulder, Fili caught one last glance of his uncle before the door slid shut. The look of determination on Thorin's face gave him courage for what was about to happen.

The guards marched Fili through the halls and to an elevator. The ride down was uneventful, lights flickering through the crack in the doors. Fili listened to the ridiculous classical music and chuckled. It was just like Men to play the worst kind of music in the stupid places. Next they'd be putting computers in the restrooms.

The doors slid open and the guards shoved Fili forward. He walked obediently down another hall until they stepped through a doorway. He froze. The docking station was round, sitting at the center of the prison station. Glass walls ran along the length of the inner station. Smaller ships sank down and rose up through the ring as they came and went. Each time a great steel tube would extend and retract to their entrance doors.

"This way," Zwingli snapped, jerking Fili out of his thoughts. He marched the Dwarf down the hall, past curious Men, and to an open door. "Williams!" A blond Man paused in the process of tapping a computer screen to turn and look at Zwingli. His eyes widened when they fell on Fili.

"Prisoner transfer," the first guard said. Williams nodded slowly before consulting a clipboard in his hand. "Prisoner 1-11."

"Right, of course," Williams said. "Prisoners 1-12 and 1-13 have already arrived. Load him onto the ship and I'll leave as soon as I can."

"Who's your guard today?" Zwingli asked, not moving from his place beside Fili.

"Privates Beilsmith and Jones," Williams said. Zwingli snorted at that. Fili looked between them in confusion. "What's wrong with Beilsmith and Jones?"

"They're immature," Zwingli snapped. "Both of them. They'd be better off giving you guards who act their age."

"I'll be fine," Williams assured the guard. He stepped aside and motioned with the clipboard. "Now do me a favor and load the prisoner onto the ship, I've got a time schedule to keep." Grumbling, Zwingli obeyed. He marched Fili onto the ship to a small room. Through the glass door Fili could see Kili and Ori seated on plastic benches. Kili looked up as the glass door slid open.

"Hey," Fili said with a nod. Kili gave him a small smile before turning his gaze back down to the floor. Ori shifted uncomfortably on his bench.

"No talking," Zwingli snapped. Fili scoffed as his hands were uncuffed. He was shoved to sit down beside Kili. Grabbing his hands, Zwingli locked them in a new set of handcuffs. This one was connected to the floor with a length of chain. The guard knelt down to lock Fili's ankles to the bench. Catching Ori's eye, Fili winked to him. Finally, Zwingli straightened up and left the cell. The glass door slid shut behind him, locking with a _click_.

"Well this is nice," Fili said, leaning back. The new handcuffs jerked at his hands.

"How far'd you get?" Kili asked his older brother.

"When Bilbo saved our lives," Fili said. Ori peeked up at him through his bangs. "The agent's going to talk to Balin or Gloin next."

"I hope he talks to Gloin," Kili snickered. "He'll be more . . ." He trailed off as Williams stalked past. A whirring sound filled the compartment behind Fili's head and the ship jerked forward. They were on their way. "He'll be more imaginative with the story."

"Kind of like Bifur?" Fili suggested, and Kili guffawed. "I heard he told the agent all kinds of lies when Bofur was translating." Kili fell sideways in his laughter, his hands jerked by the chains. Ori smiled slightly and ducked his head again. The three Dwarves fell into a comfortable silence during which Kili tired, and failed, to calm down. Eventually he managed to stop himself and he straightened up.

"What do we do?" Ori asked softly. "Nori's plan is going to fail."

"Simple," Fili said. Kili and Ori looked to him in confusion. "This." Pursing his lips, Fili whistled the familiar cat-call tune. Kili cocked his head, his confusion only growing, but Ori brightened up. The youngest Dwarf whistled a bird call through his teeth. Kili looked between then then gave a wolf-whistle unsurely.

"And now?" Ori asked.

"We wait," Fili said, relaxing against the wall. "They'll come for us. They always do."

O.o.O

_Everything was dark. He couldn't move, his arms and legs pinned down by an unseen force. Uncomfortable sensations tickled along his scalp, originating from painful pinpricks. Movement only made it worse. Something solid jabbed him in the chest, a similar sensation running down his throat. They made him breathe, made him live at their command. Sometimes he was aware of the goings on around him. Hands would run along his scalp, tones sang behind him at obnoxious levels. The hands resituated the jabbing instruments that ran into his lungs. He didn't know who they were and he didn't want to. All he wanted was his freedom. He tried to form the name around the blockage in his mouth. Thorin. Thorin would save him. He always had in the past, why would he stop this time?_

_Thorin would come for him. He always did._

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><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_I think all my Hetalia readers will recognize a few names in this chapter. Castor was having a spaz attack the entire time while she was reading it. I'll update tomorrow when I can! Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	33. React and Reflect

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

_A/N: Here we go, comment if you need clarification!_

_BADA BING!_

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><p><strong>React and Reflect<strong>

_He stood on a lone hill above the shallow valley. The ground beneath his feet had caked from years of rainless seasons. Cracks ran through the surface, flaking away to fly in the wind. There was grass on the hill. But it was yellow and crunched when he shifted. No trees or bushes grew nearby to protect the soil from eroding away. What should have been a clear blue sky was filled with roiling gray clouds. They fought for dominance over one another. But none brought the sign of rain. These lands would remain cracked and dried, the plants withering._

_Thorin turned to look over his shoulder at the shallow valley behind him. It wasn't really a valley. It didn't have the familiar deep shape of one. He supposed it had once been a lake of some sort, long since dried up. Now stone hills littered the ground like abandoned pebbles. They had a uniform, round shape to them; each one curving elegantly over the ground. No, not elegantly. _Sinisterly._ These did not look like pebbles or decorations of any sort, they resembled tombstones. Thorin was looking at a graveyard._

"This is what will become of the Shire System if you do not act,"_ a voice echoed around Thorin. He didn't recognize it, having never heard it before, but he could at least tell it was an Elf. She spoke in an almost breathy voice, each word holding a sincere meaning. Thorin looked around himself but found no one nearby._

_"What is this place?" he asked aloud._

"This is the Barrow Downs,"_ the Elf said. _"Here Halflings await their doom by the hand of the Government."_ Thorin turned back to scan the many gray hills of stone. _"Your Halfling is here somewhere, your _Hîn ned in Giliath._ Your Child of the Stars. By saving him, Thorin Oakenshield, you will save them all."

_"But how? The Government controls these planets. We would hardly be able to break into the System to save Bilbo alone. How can we save them all?"_

"You no longer stand alone, Thorin Oakenshield. There are others by your side who will follow you. Already they are gathering for the start of a new battle. Lead them on, Thorin Oakenshield, for the flower has begun to bloom."_ Thorin's eyes were drawn to the sky as a small break in the clouds formed. A single ray of starlight shone down to the earth. It struck the ground at Thorin's feet. There a small, green tendril broke the cracked ground. It curled upward until its petals unfurled into a small, white bloom. _"And remember, Thorin Oakenshield, unless someone like you cares enough, nothing will get better for these gentle folk."_ Thorin knelt down to cup the flower in his large palm._

"LIGHTS OUT!"

Thorin's eyes snapped open at the shout. For a moment he stared dumbly at the wall across from him. Someone had scrubbed the steel clean before Thorin had been locked in the cell. It didn't cover the amount of scratches that littered the surface, though. Clearly several prisoners before him had attempted to escape, but it had been in vain. They had most likely been incarcerated in the end.

"TIME'S UP! LIGHTS OUT!" a voice outside the door roared. Heavy footsteps marched past Thorin's door and he straightened up. The guards were making their nightly rounds before settling down for the night. The prisoners would remain unwatched but for the video cameras in the corners until morning. The footsteps receded from Thorin's door, making their way down the hall.

Several seconds passed before the room plunged into darkness. Thorin could hardly make out anything closer than a foot in front of him. His eyes adjusted, though, thanks to the Dwarves' adaption to dark mines, and soon he could just barely make out the outline of his hands. A red dot blinked high in the corner of his cell. It winked every few seconds. Thorin kept his eyes glued on it, waiting impatiently. Finally, after far too much time had passed, the red dot blinked in a rapid sequence five times before going black. The cameras had been shut off. Almost immediately voices began to shout through the halls.

"Who's telling the story?"

"Where's Bilbo?"

"I've already told my part."

"Where's the Hobbit?"

"_Bofur wouldn't let me tell the story properly._"

"Has anyone heard of our Hobbit?"

"Enough," Thorin roared. The voices died down, Bofur asking one last time about Bilbo's whereabouts. "Nori, do they suspect anything?"

"Nope, not a bit," Nori said. His voice carried up from the floor beneath Thorin's feet. Thorin could only guess the ship's ventilation system ran under this level. There was no other way Nori would have been able to sneak through the ship unnoticed.

"How are you doing, Nori?" Dori asked from somewhere down the way. "Are you getting enough food? What about sleep? I hope you haven't been working double shifts again. Oin told you specifically not to do that the last time it happened."

"Relax, _Mom,_" Nori snorted. "I'm fine. I sleep during the day and wander about at night. The guards don't suspect anything."

"Have ya found Bilbo?" Bofur asked his longtime friend.

"I've looked everywhere. He's not here."

"What about the computer room?" Dwlain said. "They have to have one of those on this ship."

"They do. I can't get in. Those rooms have a separate ventilation system. I've managed to hack into their mainframe using some tech I filched off a guard."

"And?"

"No sign of Bilbo. He's not anywhere on this ship."

"Then where is he?" Bofur asked, his voice strained with worry. Thorin stared at his hands in the dark. Soft words echoed through his mind.

_"This is the Barrow Downs. Here Halflings await their doom by the hand of the Government."_

"He is at the Barrow Downs," Thorin said softly.

"_What_?" Bifur shouted from down the hall.

"What did you say, laddie?" Gloin asked.

"The Barrow Downs," Thorin repeated, raising his voice. "They have taken Bilbo to the Barrow Downs."

"But that's a month's journey by ship," Bombur cried out. "And they'd have to cross through the Khazad System."

"They've got ships that can travel that distance in less than a week," Bofur told his brother. "They'd have Bilbo there no time."

"I didn't hear anything about that," Nori said, an accusing note in his voice. "Where did you?"

"A guard," Thorin lied. "They were talking about it while they passed my door this morning."

"Thorin, what do we do?" Balin asked. "We have no hope of facing the Government alone."

"We are not alone. We have allies outside these walls. Fili, Kili, and Ori are being moved. Their _Eagles_ should be able to save them. Once away, they should be able to gather armies."

"No need for that," Nori said. "I managed to contact Tauriel through the mainframe. She's gotten a hold of Dain. He's called on the _U'zugh Khazad_." Thorin sucked in a breath at that. It was Dori who voiced his surprise.

"He's called on the military? What does Dain plan to do, storm the System?"

"That's the idea."

"We need to get out of here," Thorin said. Standing from his cot, he began to pace the cell. His footsteps echoed off the steel walls. They sounded hollow in the small room. "Nori, how long do you need until he we can escape?"

"Two more days. I've only just figured out how to hack into the mainframe. It'll take some time to drop the defenses enough for _the Eagles_ to get through, even with their help."

"We have two days before the trail," Balin said. "Gloin and I still need to tell our parts of the story."

"Aye, we can keep that Agent distracted long enough for you to work."

"Do that," Thorin ordered. "The rest of you, prepare to leave this prison the moment we get the chance. We are going after our Nadanu thatûr."

O.o.O

They came for Gloin the next morning. He had just finished off his weak coffee from breakfast when the guards marched into the cell. They ordered him up against the wall and handcuffed him before manhandling him down the hall to an interrogation room. There they unlocked his cuffs and sent the chain through a d-ring before cuffing him again. Gloin waited patiently for only a few minutes before the door opened.

Something had caused the agent to forgo the tie and jacket this time. Instead he wore a simple pair of black dress pants with a white, collared shirt. A two-headed black eagle had been embroidered into the left breast pocket of the shirt. Gloin didn't know what the symbol meant, and he didn't care. All that mattered was leading the agent on long enough for Nori to get them all out. Bilbo needed them.

The agent, his eyes focused on a manila folder in his hands, strode across the room and seated himself in a steel chair. His dark hair had been slicked back and Gloin found himself staring at a shiny scalp. Beneath the dark, shiny mass of hair he could just barely make out a scar.

"So, Gloin son of Groin," Agent Smith finally said, looking up from the paperwork. Gloin would have crossed his arms if he could have. This Man was already getting on his nerves. "Your files says you used to be a smith."

"Aye, what about it?" Gloin asked gruffly. Agent Smith slipped a sheet of paper from the folder and flipped it for Gloin to read. The Dwarf skimmed it briefly before sitting back. The Agent was right. His file stated he had six months of experience in the forge before he left to study accounting at the local university.

"What caused you to leave your ambition? Your brother told me you had an accident at the smith before he went to study medicine?" Gloin sighed, resigning himself to regaling history before continuing on with the story.

"Aye," he said. "I left the smith after my accident." Agent Smith leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. Gloin gave him his best serious glare. "But it was for his own good."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Have you ever seen your siblings with post-traumatic stress disorder? Have you ever watched them descend into madness and think there's nothing you can do about it?"

"Not any of my siblings, no. I only have one sister and she's younger than I am. But I did see my wife go through that. She can't watch movies with explosives in them anymore. She shoots the television."

"Alright, so you know a little bit. My older brother returned from war with PTSD. I did what I could for him, but work kept me away for too long. Oin was going mad with nothing to do. So I planned an accident."

"Was this the accident Oin told me about?"

"The one with the sword?"

"Yes."

"Then aye, that's the one. I planned for about a month before I made my move. I made sure the foreman would call Oin if anything happened to me and offered to mend a sword when a customer came in. All it took was one slip of the hammer and . . . I went into medical shock when it sliced my tendons."

"They sent you to the hospital and called Oin?" Agent Smith guessed, and Gloin nodded.

"Aye, I woke up in the hospital with Oin hovering over me. He said he'd decided to study medicine on Rivendell. He'd be gone for a few years but he'd come back."

"And what happened to you?"

"I had to go through therapy," Gloin said. "Not even Dwarves can manage their hands well after their tendons are cut." Flipping his left hand over, he closed his fingers into a fist. His fingertips just barely brushed his palm. "They stitched the tendons back together and sent through electroshock therapy, but I'll never be able to close my hand or control it well enough again. I can hold a sword just fine, but not a hammer anymore."

"And that's why you went into accounting?"

"Aye, that's why. Any other questions about my personal life."

"Yes, actually, it's about your wife and son. Gimli's about Ori's age now, isn't he?"

"Ten years younger."

"Why did you leave them on the Blue Mountains to work for Thorin? Don't you miss them?"

"Like crazy," Gloin said. "I miss Neoma yelling at me to wake up for breakfast and Gimli handing me my cup of coffee every morning, but I did it for Oin. Thorin offered him a job as medic on his ship and Oin asked him to allow me to come along. I went because Oin's my brother, he's family. And where I come from, you don't abandon family."

"I think I've heard that before from one of your crewmembers."

"You could say it's our motto. Neoma, Gimli, and I keep in touch. We chat together through the Vein. Bombur does the same thing, so do Fili and Kili. They call their mother once a month with the agreement."

"And Neoma doesn't mind you traveling?"

"I've orders to call once a week and visit once a month. She was just tickled when she heard about Bilbo, so much that she forgave me for not calling her in months. Is that enough information for you or are you going to pry further?"

"We're just trying to learn as much as we can about you and your crew," Agent Smith said as he returned the piece of paper back to the folder. "Now, onto Bilbo Baggins. How well did you know him while he was on your ship?"

"We spoke a few times when he was feeling down about himself. After the events with the engine blowing, though, he didn't really trust me very much."

"Why not?" Agent Smith asked curiously.

"Because I helped Thorin and Dwalin pin him down. Bilbo didn't sleep after his time in the air vents. We didn't actually know what had happened up there, but we could guess that it was pretty bad. Well, Bilbo thought he was being clever. He kept trying to hide that he wasn't sleeping at night."

"Dwalin noticed?"

"Aye, he asked Oin to give him something to help Bilbo sleep. Bilbo refused the first night, and Thorin and I had to pin him down while Dwalin gave him the shot. He can be a nasty little biter when he wants to. He threw bits and bogs at the three of us for days afterward. And we kept doing it every night until he eventually gave in to Dwalin."

"The ship must have been low on fuel, what with the engine blowing out and what not."

"It was," Gloin agreed. "We were too low, in fact, that Fili refused to fly anywhere until we knew there was a station nearby. On the fourth day Thorin sent Dwalin and Nori out in _Eagles_ to scout around. They found a Government space station nearby." Agent Smith shuffled through a few papers until he found the one he was looking for. He scanned it over quickly then nodded.

"This is where we are able to pick up your trail," he said. "The Khazad Space Station of the Greenwood reports you landed there on the nineteenth of October."

"By your standards, maybe. The Khazad Calendar says we arrived there on the third, sixteen days before Durin's Day."

"Either way, you landed on the Space Station for supplies and rations but your ship was still docked there when you left."

"That wasn't our fault. We had just barely made it to the station before we ran out of fuel . . ."


	34. Weary and Witty

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

* * *

><p><strong>Weary and Witty<strong>

Bilbo swore colorfully when he lurched forward head over heels. He, Bofur, and Nori had been playing a strange Dwarf game. They crouched down, each with a rubber ball in hand, and they had to toss the balls back and forth between each other, all while bouncing up and down on their heels and singing a ridiculous ditty. Bilbo had given up on the song after the first four tries. Bofur sang too quickly for him to understand the words. But now . . . Bilbo had just been reaching forward to catch the ball Nori had tossed to him when the ship had shuddered. The movement sent him flying head over heels, landing hard on his back hard enough to drive the wind from his lungs.

"You alright there, Bilbo?" Bofur asked from his place on his back. Only Nori out of the three of them had managed to keep his feet. Bilbo blamed it on the thief's experience. Bilbo didn't answer as he continued to swear in Hobbitish.

"Must be some pretty strong stuff he's saying," Nori commented to Bofur as the engineer sat up. Bofur nodded eagerly in agreement. Sending them both a glare, Bilbo aimed a kick at the thief who dodged it. He then did the one thing that would have even shocked his mother. Closing his fist but for his pointer and pinkie fingers, he pressed them against his eyebrows and drove them up along his forehead.

"BILBO BAGGINS!" Nori leapt in surprise at his older brother's roar and Bofur fell backward again. Bilbo's eyes widened at the sight of Dori standing on the gangway of the cargo bay. He hadn't exactly been counting on Dori to see the hand sign. Only that Dwarf would have known what it meant. "If I _ever_ see you make that sign again I will beat you with a belt." Bilbo hunched his shoulders forward, trying to shrink in on himself.

"That's a little harsh just for a hand sign," Bofur commented. Dori stomped down the stairs and Bilbo had half a mind to bolt for his safe place. Nori continued to look between his brother and friend in confusion.

"Oh not by these standards," Dori hissed out. And before Bilbo to make up his mind to run, he had the very tip of Bilbo's ear pinched between two fingers nails. Sharp pain like that of a needle scorched through Bilbo's nervous system and he squealed, scrabbling at Dori's hand. The Dwarf refused to relinquish his hold. "Now apologize to Nori, Bilbo."

"He deserved it," Bilbo protested, squealing once more when the fingernails dug in. "Let me go! I'm not a child!"

"I will treat you like a child until you learn to behave. Now apologize."

"But what's it mean?" Bofur asked.

"Let him go, Dori," Nori said. "We were just having fun."

"'Having fun' does not excuse his actions."

"But what's it mean?"

"_Let me go!_"

"Making this hand gesture," Dori said as he exhibited the sign of two fingers up his brow. "Is the Hobbit equivalent of this." He proceeded to fold down his middle finger and press it along the ridge of his nose. His other fingers were left to splay across his forehead. Bofur's eyes widened and he looked to Bilbo, aghast. Nori just shrugged.

"So? I do that behind your back all the time."

"Yes, well, it's rude. And it shouldn't be done."

"Let me go," Bilbo said again. He tried to twist his ear out of Dori's grip but to no avail. The Dwarf simply switched to the other ear. A fresh wave of needling pain ran down Bilbo's spin and he shuddered.

"Not until you apologize."

"Alright, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"You better mean that, Bilbo Baggins, or I _will_ belt you."

"I mean it! I mean it!"

"Lay off him, Dori," Nori said in a bored voice. Bofur hadn't found his yet, his mouth hanging open in horror. Dori snorted and released the Hobbit, giving him a small shove forward. Bilbo stumbled and pitched forward. Nori caught the back of his shirt just before he hit the ground.

"I will be telling Thorin about this," Dori said to Bilbo's back. Bilbo scowled at the floor. No one had threatened to belt him since he had been a faunling. And even then that had only been once, done by his mother. The Dwarf stomped away in a huff, leaving Nori to haul Bilbo upright.

"Ya know a bad hand sign?" Bofur asked Bilbo softly. Bilbo straightened his shirt, his vest having been far too torn for repairs, and tried to regain his dignity.

"Ferumbras taught it to me when I was younger," he said. "I only used it once on Lobelia Bracegirdle. My mother whipped me with a belt for that."

"Don't worry," Nori told Bilbo, resting an arm on the Hobbit's head. "I do that sort of stuff all the time and Dori still beats me for it." Bilbo shoved his arm off but Nori just replaced it.

"Except they never seem to work," Bofur pointed out. Nori snorted at that, shaking his head. He perked up at the sound of Thorin's voice carrying down the hall.

"I told you to be careful."

"We were careful, Thorin," Fili argued. "But we don't have any sensors to tell us when to stop."

"You are experienced enough to know without sensors. Next time, don't let Kili distract you."

"I resent that!"

"Shut up, Kili, you're not helping."

"Everything alright," Nori called up their captain. Thorin shot him a dirty look then did a double-take at the sight of Bilbo being used as an armrest.

"He is a guest on this ship, not a piece of furniture," the captain told Nori. "Do not treat him as such." Straightening up, Nori gave him a mock bow. Thorin turned back to continue his conversation with his nephews only to find them missing. They had split up and run down the gangway while he'd been distracted. Together, mirroring each other's moves, they raced down the length of the cargo bay and slid down the railings to the lower levels. Thorin scowled as Kili straightened up from a spectacular landing.

"Be careful, Kili," Dori scolded the younger Dwarf. "Oin told you to avoid strenuous activity. Your neck is still tender."

"I'm fine," Kili said with a wave of his hand. "Besides, that's hardly strenuous."

"Told you, mother hen," Nori whispered in Bilbo's ear. He winked when Bilbo turned to look at him.

"Come on, let's have another go," Bofur said, tossing rubber balls to each of his friends. Fili turned and, seeing them, lit up excitedly.

"Are you playing Grenade? Can I join?"

"I want to play too!" Kili said, waving his hand eagerly. Dori glowered at both pilots before storming over to Thorin. He began muttering in a low voice.

"Wait, this game is called Grenade?" Bilbo asked, his eyes widening. "What kind of game is that for children?"

"It's called Stoners for the younger kids," Fili said as he and his brother joined their group. Bofur reached into a small bag and withdrew two more rubber balls for them. Bilbo rolled his own ball between his hands, unsure if he wanted to play anymore.

"Besides, it's fun," Kili said. "Especially when you play Extreme Stoners."

"What's . . . 'Extreme'?" Bilbo asked unsurely. Fili and Kili shared mischievous looks. Bofur scratched his chin, as though wondering if this was a good idea.

"Come here," Kili said, crouching down. The three Dwarves joined him in a pentagon shape, leaving one spot open for Bilbo. They turned to him expectantly. Bilbo hesitated but sighed in resignation when Bofur wiggled his fingers in a 'come hither' gesture. Shuffling over, Bilbo crouched down on his haunches.

"Here we go," Kili said before he started chanting along with the rest of the Dwarves. The five of them began to toss the balls between each other.

_"Boulders rolling down the hill,_

_Pebbles falling round you all,_

_These stones they could kill,_

_Better run and start the call."_

Bilbo blanched at the words as he caught a ball tossed to him by Nori who caught Kili's who caught Bofur's who caught Fili's who caught Bilbo's. It was a never-ending circuit until someone dropped their ball.

_"Stoners, stoners, see them coming?_

_Little Goblins playing their games,_

_The boulders fall with great rumbling,_

_Stoners, stoners, they're to blame."_

Kili and Fili chanted happily, tossing their balls to Nori and Bilbo. The words wound round and started again. Bilbo was starting to wonder who thought of this diabolical game. And then he found out what 'Extreme' meant. It was he who dropped his ball first. Normally Nori would have howled with laughter, Bofur cuffing Bilbo on his shoulder. Not this time, though. This time Fili and Kili launched themselves at Bilbo, knocking him to the ground.

"STONED!" they shouted gleefully. Kili's fingers danced along Bilbo's sides and Bilbo squealed with laughter, his legs kicking out under Fili.

"Hey, you think his feet are ticklish?" Fili asked Kili wickedly.

"Let's find out," Nori offered, standing from his crouched position. Bofur had fallen over in his laughter, wiping tears from his eyes.

"No," Bilbo gasped out, even as Fili pinned his ankles down with his knees. "Stop."

"Gotta say uncle," Kili teased as he continued to tickle Bilbo's sides.

"Nev-ER!" The word ended in a high squeal when Nori ran a fingernail up the sole of his foot. Bilbo screeched in both surprise and laughter at the strange sensation running through his legs and spine. Nori continued to tickle him, his nimble fingers running along Bilbo's toes. Bilbo squealed and bucked, trying to throw the Dwarves off him.

"Stop!"

"Here, let me help," Bofur said, finally managing to contain himself. Bilbo squealed out a 'no!' but Nori shifted over to allow Bofur room. The engineer eagerly ran his nail up Bilbo's soles. His fingers were even worse. While Nori's fingers knew their way around feather-light touches, Bofur's knew how to handle any problem. He deftly found ever ticklish spot on Bilbo's foot.

"Going-to-pee!" Bilbo gasped out. Kili moved his fingers upward toward his armpits, the ticklish sensations increasing. Fili dug his fingers lightly into Bilbo's calves. It was all too much for the poor Hobbit and he gave a great laughing squeal. His arms flailed uncontrollably. One caught Kili on the nose and the Dwarf fell back on his brother in surprise. It was a domino effect. Kili tumbled into Fili who pitched forward into Nori who fell sideways into Bofur who crumpled to the floor laughing. All four Dwarves ended up falling off Bilbo and into a dog pile. The Hobbit managed to crawl away, finally free of the torture. Bilbo collapsed to the floor in a gasping heap. He opened his watery eyes to see a familiar pair of boots standing before him. Rolling over, he saw Thorin looking down at him with humor in his eyes. Bilbo's chest heaved with his struggles to breathe. Somewhere not far away his four Dwarf friends were cursing as they tried to untangle themselves.

"Having fun?" Thorin asked.

"Don't like you right now," Bilbo said, pointing a finger at Thorin. "You're lucky I don't have any stones with me."

"Here's one!" A ball flew through the air and landed neatly on Bilbo's stomach. He wrapped his fingers around it. Thorin's eyes widened slightly. Bilbo gave him a wicked grin.

"Stoned!" Even upside down he had a dangerous aim. The ball ricocheted off Thorin's forehead and struck Dwalin on the head just as the taller Dwarf stepped off the bottom step. He fell backward cursing, a hand clapped to his bald head. "Oops. Didn't mean to do that . . . Never mind, I did. I don't like you right now either." Dwalin glared at him as he shoved himself upright from the stairs. Ori looked between the Dwarf and Hobbit in growing worry from behind the warrior.

"Up you get, Bilbo," Thorin said, leaning down. He hooked his hands under Bilbo's armpits and dragged him to his feet. Bilbo remained limp the entire time, glaring at the captain of the ship, until he was set to stand alone. He swayed back and forth uncertainly. Not from dizziness or exhaustion, just out of pure spite. He still wasn't happy with Gloin, Dwalin, or Thorin yet.

"Lose the attitude, Bilbo, or I will set Dori on you," Thorin warned. Bilbo wrinkled his nose in distaste and stuck his tongue out at the Dwarf. "I mean it. I will not hesitate to allow Dori to belt you."

"Like I haven't been belted before."

"Bilbo," Bofur said in a soft warning voice. Bilbo peeked over his shoulder to see his four friends on their feet. Kili shook his head ever so slightly in an indication to stop. Bilbo huffed but stepped back from Thorin, giving in. Thorin nodded. The captain turned to address his entire crew.

"We have reached a Government Space Station," he said. "It is unmanned, so Bilbo can wander around if he likes. Dwalin, you are in charge of him. Bofur, Bifur, get the ship filled on fuel. The rest of you may fill up on food and shower if you would like." Bilbo gaped at Thorin as the insufferable Dwarf marched to the cargo bay's smaller door. He wrenched it open just in time for Kili and Fili to leap past Bilbo and out the door with great whoops of joy.

"H-He can't do that," Bilbo said, pointing in Thorin's general direction. "I'm not a child." Bofur clapped him on the shoulder as he walked past. Nori at least paused to speak to their friend.

"Don't take it too hard, Bilbo," he said. "Thorin's just being bossy again. Besides, he's right. You have an attitude." Pausing to check Dori wasn't looking, he braced his middle finger along his nose and splayed his fingers against his forehead, his tongue sticking out. Bilbo swung out at him and missed as the thief danced away on light feet.

"I think you dropped this." A rubber ball bounced off the side of Bilbo's head. Bilbo allowed it to roll away as he glared at Dwalin. The Dwarf didn't seem fazed by his directed anger in any way. He just threw an arm around Bilbo's shoulders and began to lead him away.

"Come on," he said. "Thorin's put me in charge of food." Bilbo turned his head away, intent on ignoring the Dwarf, but allowed himself to be led off the ship. His eyes flicking to the corner of his eye, he froze. His eyes widened in shock.

He had been expecting a hanger of some sort, maybe the walls to be a pristine gray with pictures hung on them. Pictures with words underneath them saying things like "Best Pilot of the Year" And "Killed 342 Orcs". There were no pictures. The walls were blank, void of any color whatsoever. They were nothing more than pristine white walls that rose high above Bilbo's height, clearly made for Men and not Dwarves or Hobbits. Fluorescent lights lit the high ceiling. One or two had blown a fuse in their lifetime while others flickered, casting the hall into dim shadows.

"Come on," Dwalin urged, his arm still around Bilbo's shoulders. Bilbo stepped forward slowly as he followed Dwalin's silent command to move. His eyes trailed over the flickering lights and pristine walls. Up close he could make out the chips in the paint and cracks along the walls' surfaces. The floor had been formed from a steel, cold to the touch of Bilbo's soles.

"Where are we going?" he asked Dwalin softly. They continued on down the hall, taking the first turn they came across. Dwalin seemed to know just where they were heading to.

"The disbursement center."

"A-And what's that?" They took another turn. This time the walls were lined with sliding doors. None had any words on them. Bilbo thought he could hear someone singing behind one of them. Steam hissed out from under the seam of the floor.

"The Government provides monthly rations to mercenary ships," Dwalin explained. "It's their way of keepin' a census of all pilots outside. The food's terrible, though."

"Then why do you eat it?"

"Because the last time we didn't pick up rations the Government stocked our kitchens full with them. Bombur threw a temper tantrum for a week just because it tasted bad. It's nothin' more than smoked meat and dried fruit. There's no taste to it."

"Oh," Bilbo said before falling quiet. Dwalin glanced at him from the corner of his eyes. Bilbo scowled, giving him his best warning look.

"Bilbo . . ."

"Don't you dare start with me. I'm fine."

"You're not sleepin' on your own. We're just tryin' to help."

"By doping me every time I have a nightmare?" Dwalin stopped walking and turned, moving his arm to clap a hand on Bilbo's shoulders. He leveled Bilbo with a severe look. Bilbo only narrowed his eyes. He knew what was coming.

"Bilbo, you're nightmares are gettin' worse. Nothin' I do helps. You've bitten through leather twice now. Oin had to stitch up your arm."

"I'm fine," Bilbo argued, shrugging Dwalin's hand off his shoulder. The Dwarf just replaced it and clapped his free hand on Bilbo's other shoulder.

"What happened up in those vents? You were up there for a lon' time."

"I said nothing. Can't you just drop it?"

"I'm just trying to - ."

"If you say help one more time, so help me I will skewer you on my sword."

"What, this thin'?" Dwalin asked as he released one of Bilbo's shoulders to reach behind him. He pulled the small sword from his boot and offered it out to Bilbo. "You left it in the room. Never forget your weapon when you're goin' into unfamiliar territory." Bilbo accepted the sword from the warrior, albeit begrudgingly. "Bilbo, you've been talkin' in your sleep. Nori knew what you were talkin' about. He told me so."

"Well _I_ don't know what you're talking about. And I'd appreciate it if you would just. Drop. It."

"I'm not droppin' anythin' until you tell me what's goin' on in your nightmares. What's got you so scared?"

"_Nothing_! Why can't you just leave me alo - ." And then Dwalin was suddenly in his face, his nose inches from Bilbo's.

"ATTERCOP!" The roar sent ice through Bilbo's veins. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest. He knew that word. It haunted his nightmares and dogged his footsteps through the shadows. Dwalin drew back from Bilbo, his own chest heaving not from exhaustion but from the restraint of yelling more. His words were strained as he continued.

"He's a black-market dealer, Nori told me so. Said he doesn't abandon his prey." Bilbo trembled under Dwalin's touch, trying to will himself to breathe again. The word still bounced through his skull. "Bilbo, say somethin', please. I want to help."

"I-I don't know him," Bilbo said in a shaking voice. Turning his gaze, he found Dwalin watching him with a tense look. Sorrow and yearning filled the Dwarf's eyes. "He didn't attack the ship I was on, his . . . crew did it. B-But they said . . ." Bilbo shook his head and shut his eyes tight, trying to cleanse his mind of the memory. Dwalin's hands tightened on his shoulders.

"What did they say, Bilbo?"

"A-Attercop will be happy with this one." If possible, the hands tightened even more. Dwlain sucked in a breath. Cautiously, Bilbo looked back at him. The Dwarf held a guarded look, now, as though calculating the risk of making a move. "What does he want with me?" Bilbo asked, his lip trembling.

"I don't know," Dwlain said softly. He leaned forward to press their foreheads together. "But we're not lettin' him get you, not even close." Bilbo huffed, a watery smile spreading across his face. "Now let's go get that food before Thorin gets mad at us."


	35. Showers and Shocks

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

* * *

><p><strong>Showers and Shocks<strong>

With the ship filled on fuel and Bombur in the kitchen, Bofur had decided there was only one thing on the entire Space Station that tickled his fancy: a hot shower.

_"So, the cat on the fiddle_

_Played hey-diddle-diddle,_

_A jig that would wake the dead,_

_And up and down he quickened his tune,_

_While the landlord shook the Man on the Moon,_

_'It's after three' he said!"_

Bofur's words bounced off the ceramic tiles of the dimly-lit shower room. The hot water pounded down on his head. It soaked his hair, making it mat and curl around his shoulders. His hair had always been thick and uncontrollable from the day he had been born. Sometimes Bifur offered to help braid or comb his hair, but that usually never ended well.

Bofur paused in his singing – a song Bilbo had taught him earlier – at the sound of the door hissing open. His fingers remained twisted in his hair, shampoo bubbling out. A shadow passed by the curtain and Bofur followed it with his eyes. Whoever it was had unbraided their hair. He couldn't make them out beyond their stout shape and long nose. It could have been anyone.

Whoever it was – certainly a Dwarf, Bilbo wasn't that muscular – took the shower stall next to Bofur's. The curtain drew back with a _shing_ of rings on metal. They turned the knob and almost immediately steam begin to rise from the hot water. Bofur resumed scrubbing his hair thick with shampoo.

Every Space Station, unmanned or no, came equipped with the necessities of life: showers, cafeterias, libraries, beds . . . the list went on and on. Travelers were not expected to remain in the lodgings for more than a week, as their home was technically their ship, but they could take time to get clean. The Government made sure to leave the Stations fully stocked with shampoos, conditioners, and soaps for the showers. Bofur, like any other sane Dwarf, was intent on taking full advantage of that fact. And the fact of free coffee and muffins in the cafeteria.

"Your _Amad_ ever tell you you can't carry a tune?" Bofur's fingers froze again, this time as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair. He glared at the plastic wall separating the shower. There was perhaps a foot or more of bare space between both the ceiling and the floor of the shower room.

"Neither can ya, Nori," he countered. Nori snorted and Bofur heard the sound of water splashing on the tiles of the shower floor and walls. Nori's hair was finer than Bofur's. Water just ran down it like a creek down smooth stones. Bofur wouldn't say he was jealous, but . . . He would give anything to be able to wake up one morning and _not_ have to brush the snarls from his hair.

"At least I can hit the pitch range."

"What's that supposed ta mean?"

"You were four octaves off."

"And since when do ya know anythin' about music?" Bofur demanded, planting his hands on his hips. Underneath the divider, he could see Nori's feet turning to face him. Soap bubbles pooled around the other Dwarf as he washed his hair.

"Dori cultured me until I could tell the difference between a C-minor and a C-major."

"Well it doesn't matter in the mines," Bofur said. He grabbed a bottle of conditioner and upended it in his hand. It smelled of apples. He'd have to keep this away from Bifur, lest his cousin decided to try eating it. Vigorously running the conditioner through his hair, Bofur continued speaking. "We can sing 'Hi-Ho' for all we want in the mines, and no one cares." Nori didn't speak for a few moments and Bofur was sure he had won the argument. Until his friend broke out laughing.

"No way! You guys actually sing that down in the mines? Isn't that song from some musical in the eighteenth century?"

"Twentieth," Bofur corrected. The conditioner caused his hair to hang in lank strips around his face. "And it was a kid's movie." Nori's laughing on got worse. His howls bounced off the walls of the shower room. Scowling, Bofur stepped out of his stream of water. He turned the handle ninety degrees, caught the luke-warm water in cupped hands, and threw it over the divider. Nori's howling laughter turned to screams of surprise and Bofur doubled over laughing. He didn't care that the stream of water pounding against his back gave him gooseflesh. Hearing Nori swear was enough.

Suddenly his shower curtain was wrenched to the side. Nori stood there, completely naked, in all his dripping glory. He wore a mask of fury on his face. Bofur's laughs caught in his throat. He knew that look. It was the look everyone on the ship tried their hardest to avoid, especially if Nori caught them in a corner. Like a shower, for example.

"Mahal damn you, Bofur," Nori seethed. He stepped into the shower and Bofur sank back against the cold tile wall. "You're going to regret that."

"It was just a joke," Bofur tried, raising his hands in defense. Nori continued to advance on him, his hands outstretched.

"Joke or no, you shouldn't have done that." Nori grabbed his upper arms in a terrifyingly strong grip. Sometimes Bofur forgot the immense strength ran through the Ri family. Nori gave him a wicked grin before reaching behind Bofur and turning the handle completely to the left. The water under Bofur's toes turned icy.

"Please," Bofur choked out, trying to twist out of his friend's grasp. "Just a joke. Let it go."

"Not. Going. To. Happen," Nori said slowly before his grin to a Cheshire level. He shoved Bofur under the icy torrent of water. It struck Bofur like a bucket of ice water, freezing him to the bone. He howled and thrashed against Nori's grip. His friend held him directly under the stream of water.

"Shouldn't have done that," Nori sang.

"Stop!" Bofur shouted helplessly. Already his teeth were chattering against the cold. Water filled his mouth and he spat aside before resuming struggles. "I don't like it!"

"You're not supposed to!"

"I don't like it! I don't like it!" Bofur tried his hardest to throw Nori off him but his friend refused to let go. He just pushed Bofur further under the water. Neither of them heard the hiss of the door sliding open.

"What in Mahal's name is going on in here?" Suddenly Nori was wrenched off Bofur with an undignified squawk. Bofur stumbled out from under the spigot shuddering. He ran his hands up and down his arms, trying to get the feeling back into them.

"Would you let me go?"

"What were you thinking? He could have caught his death."

"It was just a bit of fun."

Bofur looked up, his teeth chattering in his jaw, to see Dori holding his younger brother by fistfuls of hair. Ori hovered behind his eldest brother, wringing his hands together. Bofur tried to smile when he looked over at him, but his lips were too numb.

"Look at him, he's shivering."

"He's – ow! – fine!" Nori yelped when Dori twisted his hair

"His lips are blue!"

"Let me go!"

"Bofur, be a dear and move, would you? Ori, help him warm up." Bofur stepped out of the shower beside Ori. Together they watched as Dori dragged Nori toward he shower. Nori dug his heels into the tiled floor, slipping along with the shoves.

"You can't be serious!"

"It's either this or the belt, and the belt never seems to work."

"I'm an adult!"

"That doesn't seem to stop you from acting like a child."

"You can't do this to ME!" Nori squealed in protest when Dori shoved him under the freezing water. "Stop! STOP!" Bofur grinned at his friend's discomfort, only turning away when Ori tugged at his arm.

"Come on, Bofur, Nori's shower should still be warm." Bofur allowed the youngest Dwarf of the crew to lead him to Nori's open shower. He stepped under the hot jet of water, relishing in both the warmth and the squawks of his friend.

O.o.O

"As a registered crew of the Government, we are required to check in with the Government on an annual basis," Thorin explained to his youngest nephews as he pressed his thumb to the blue screen. It scanned his print then flashed green. A menu popped into view, offering Thorin various choices. "This can be done from the ship's Vein, but at six of your check-ins need to be completed on a Station." He turned to see Kili fingering the string of his bow, his attention drawn to a wall. "Kili, pay attention!"

"But this is so boring," Kili moaned, letting his hand fall to his side. His bow clattered to the floor. "Why isn't Fili here instead of me?"

"Because Fili has already seen this," Thorin snapped. "I showed him on the last Station we visited, now it is your turn. Someday this will be your job." Kili huffed but stepped up to stand beside his uncle. Thorin turned back to the screen. "Now pay attention. You have three options here: update crew member, ship status, or cargo status."

"Are we adding Bilbo to the crew?" Kili asked excitedly. At Thorin's meaningful glare, he wilted. "Right, Hobbit. Forgot for a moment. What are we doing, then?"

"Updating the cargo," Thorin said, pressing the menu on the screen. The three words swiped left to make way for another list. He pressed _Medicine-Blue Mountains_. The title expanded with the applied date, weight of cargo, and expected delivery date. "Every legal cargo move we make has to be reported to the Government."

"Didn't we make that delivery last November?"

"Aye."

"Then shouldn't we have updated sooner." Thorin sighed to himself at his nephew's pestering questions.

"We have only checked in at a Station two times. These next four months must be updated directly through a Station's mainframe."

"But why didn't we update through the Vein sooner? That was almost a year ago." Thorin leveled him with a glare. "You forgot, didn't you?" Kili laughed, clutching his stomach. "You forgot to tell the Government."

"I have had too many things on my mind lately, so stop laughing." Ignoring his nephew's laughter, he turned back to the screen and pressed _update_. Three options came up: _delayed_, _delivered_, and _dropped._ He chose the second option and punched in the date of the previous December when they had delivered the medicine. "It does not technically matter when you update your delivery, just so much as it matches up with the date the receiver enters into the mainframe."

"Because you forgot."

"If you say that one more time I swear I will leave you on this Station for someone else to find." Kili sobered up at that immediately. The crew had learned rather quickly Thorin meant it when he said things like that. Bofur had nearly gone crazy with terror when he had been abandoned on Archet for three months after he had angered Thorin. In his defense, he hadn't known Thorin was deathly allergic to walnuts or morphine. Both incidents had ended with Oin intervening at the last minute and Bofur retreating to his room for safety. Until he had been left on Arhcet to fend for himself.

"I'll be good," Kili said. "Are we done with this?"

"Aye, but I need your help in adding Bilbo to the crew as a guest."

"But I thought we couldn't do that because he's a Hobbit?"

"We are adding him as a Man, perhaps a child due to his height."

"Ooh, fun!" Kili said. "Can I do it?" Chuckling at his nephew's eagerness, Thorin brought up the specs for adding a guest to the crew. He stepped aside to allow Kili to play with the screen.

"And how is everything going down here?" Thorin turned to see Balin approaching them from down the hall.

"Fine," Thorin told his first-mate. "Kili and I are adding Bilbo as a guest to the crew."

"With a pseudonym!" Thorin looked over his shoulder at Kili's proclamation. His nephew hadn't turned from pressing buttons, apparently choosing an age for their 'guest'. He turned back to see Balin with a quirked eyebrow.

"I do not want the Government questioning us if they scan us for heat signatures," Thorin said. "Chances are they will simply ignore us if they read thirteen Dwarves and a child as their logbook says it should be."

"I can only hope you are right," Balin said with a shake of his head. He planted his hands on his hips. "Only a day and a half to travel around the Woodland Realm and we will see Erebor once more."

"Erebor in all her glory," Thorin breathed, his eyes glazing over at the thought. "I want Bilbo to see her suns, to stand in the light of seven suns and bask in their warmth."

"The laddie will probably want to stay with us in the end."

"I will have no argument if he chooses to. Perhaps one day he will be able to return to his System."

"Aye, if Gandalf's plans work out in the end."

"Done!" Kili shouted, and the older Dwarves turned to him. Thorin stepped up, Kili shuffling aside, to read what his nephew had written.

_Race: Man_

_Name: Martin Freeman_

_Age: 5 y-o_

_Height: 3'8"_

_Origin: Rohan System, Edoras_

"Martin Freeman?" Thorin asked incredulously.

"It's a play on words," Kili said with a grin. "Martin is a Man's name. It stems from some god of war or something from the Solar System. And Freeman. Free. Man. Because Bilbo's finally free from the Shire System."

"The god of war and the free man," Thorin said with a shake of his head.

"It fits," Balin said, nodding. "You best tell Bilbo, so he doesn't get confused." Kili grinned and pressed _accept_ on the screen. The folder slid closed and joined the list of the crew of the Dwarves.

"Did you mention why we were transporting a five year old children from Edoras?" Thorin asked. Kili nodded eagerly.

"I said we're moving him to Lake-Town to be with his surviving relatives. His parents passed away last month and the king of Rohan asked us to move him."

"That should work," Balin said. "Now, about the trip to Erebor . . ."

O.o.O

Bilbo was _bored_. Dwalin had dragged him to a rather large, empty room. There no couches or tables in this room for one to rest at. Doors and kiosks lined the hexagonal walls. Several light bulbs had blown, more so than in the hallway, and it made Bilbo nervous. The dim lighting combined with the shuddering lights of those that still survive cast odd shadows. He found himself constantly jerking at strange sounds and sudden movements.

Bilbo spared a glance for Dwalin. The Dwarf stood one of the kiosks, tapping at the screen. He had told Bilbo to stay out of his way for the time being as he filed for rations. Apparently it took a lot of concentration. That or he just wasn't very good with technology. Bilbo guessed the latter, if Dwalin's muttered curses were anything to go by.

Shuffling his feet, Bilbo began to make another circuit around the room. He had paced around the room in his boredom, trying to memorize everything about it. With every extra round he began to recognize certain cracks and symbols carved into the wall. A single carving caught his attention, though he stepped away the moment he recognized it: a spider's web. Four levels of hexagons had been carved into the wall in the shape of a web, all connecting at the center.

During his next circuit, Bilbo spotted something he hadn't seen before. A glassy circle had been embedded into the wall. Beside it was a pulsing screen. A round cursor spun on the screen, as though something was loading. Peeking over his shoulder, Bilbo found Dwalin's attention wholly fixed on the kiosk. He turned back and stepped up to the wall. He had to stand on his toes in able to see the circle clearly. It had been made for a Dwarf height, perhaps in the beginning of the Government's rule in the Khazad System. The glassy eye glowed red the moment Bilbo's own was level with it. He became aware of a ray of light shining in his pupil.

Bilbo squawked when a hand landed on his head. It wrenched him back away from the glassy just as it had scanned only half of his. The hand on his head turned him roughly to see Dwlain glaring down at him.

"Don't do that," Dwalin growled. "That's a retina scanner. You do that and it goes straight into the Government logbook. They'll know you were here and we'll all be in trouble."

"I'm bored," Bilbo huffed. "There's nothing to do in here and you're just paying attention to that stupid screen."

"That 'stupid screen' is the only thin' keepin' us from eatin' tastless meat and fruit for the next six months. So quit your gripin'."

"But I'm _bored_."

"You're startin' to sound like a child."

"You're treating me like one." Dwalin growled at that and moved his grip to Bilbo's arm. Bilbo tugged fruitlessly as the Dwarf dragged him over to stand beside the kiosk.

"Stand there, don't do anything stupid," Dwalin ordered. Bilbo pulled a face but obeyed. Not doing so would have just ended with Dwalin twisting his ear . . . again. He stood dutifully beside the warrior and watched as Dwalin tapped the screen. Names of the crew popped onto the screen. Dwalin read each one carefully, updating information occasionally, before pressing a small button in the corner. Bilbo read what he could, most of the words being in Khuzdul, but found it useless. It wasn't until Dwalin pressed a new name that he could understand anything on the screen.

"Martin Freeman," Bilbo read aloud. He looked at Dwlain. "Who's that?"

"Pseudonym," Dwalin grunted, reading the information for himself. "Some kid from Edoras we're takin' to Lake-Town."

"Since when have we had a child on board?" Bilbo demanded. "I haven't seen a single Man on that ship since I boarded. Are you telling me that we've . . . _oh_!" Dwalin chuckled at his realization. "Oi! I'm not a child! You can't just say that about me."

"It's for your own protection."

"I don't care. Change it!" Bilbo tried to reach the screen but Dwalin stopped him with an elbow to his chest. "That's unfair. I didn't even get a choice in the matter."

"We can't exactly tell the Government we have a Hobbit on board."

"Well why couldn't you have said I was an Elf? I have pointy ears."

"Aye, and we're going to fix that." Bilbo blanched at the words, topping his struggles to stare at Dwalin in disbelief. "Oh, aye. Oin and Thorin have been talkin' about surgery to round your ears off a bit."

"Y-You're mad. You're all mad!" Dwalin roared with laughter as Bilbo swung out at him. "Blasted, insufferable Dwarves!"

"Relax, _Pundurith_. I could make you a cat if you like, a nice little tabby with a bad temper."

"Insufferable, know-it-all Dwarves and their lack of manners," Bilbo muttered as he gave up the fight and stomped away. Still chuckling, Dwalin returned to the kiosk, leaving Bilbo to make his rounds of the room once more.

Bilbo continued his boring walk, turning every now and then to glare at Dwalin's back. Tucked away in his pocket, his fingers fiddled with the ring he had won from Gollum. So far he hadn't had the need to use it. Thorin and Dwalin had both agreed that Bilbo needed to keep it with him at all times for safety precautions. Bilbo had just finished his fourth round of the room when a strange noise caught his attention. Pausing, he cocked his head. _Whumpa whumpa twee_. Bilbo reached a trembling hand to remove the translator from his ear. _Whumpa whumpa twee._ There was no mistaking that sound. His breath caught in his chest and the walls closed in. He swayed back and forth on the spot, hardly aware of anything going on around him. _Whumpa whumpa twee._ There was nothing for it. The others needed to know.

He screamed.


	36. Bated and Breathless

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

* * *

><p><strong>Bated and Breathless<strong>

"It should only take a few hours to reach Erebor once we've passed through Lake . . ." Balin trailed off at a sharp trill. Kili looked around himself in confusion while Thorin straightened up from leaning against the wall. Together the three of them turned to the docking station.

"Another ship," Thorin breathed.

"But there was no one else out there," Kili said softly. "We were the only ones passing through Mirkwood."

"You can never be too sure, laddie," Balin said. He grasped the hilt of his sword.

"Not yet," Thorin said, but he rested his own hand on Orcrist's hilt. "There is no need for drawn weapons until we know who is on that ship. Kili, bow out." Kili grabbed his bow from the floor and notched an arrow. He kept the weapon held loosely in both hands before him.

"What about Bilbo," he asked his uncle. "Someone needs to warn Bilbo."

O.o.O

Dori paused, chunks of Nori's hair still grasped in his hands. Nori made a questioning noise, tugging lightly on his hair for his brother to continue braiding. Dori ignored the action in favor of turning to the door. Bofur looked up from his own braids.

"Somethin' wron'?" the engineer asked.

"I thought I heard a scream," Dori said absentmindedly. Ori's eyes widened in fear.

"A scream?"

"Aye." Dori nodded slowly. The four Dwarves listened for another moment before Dori finally shrugged. "I must have been imagining things." He returned to braiding his brother's hair, the final piece fitting into place along his spine. Ori tugged at his small beard, chewing on his lip nervously.

O.o.O

"Another ship's docked," Fili said. Bifur paused, a pastry almost to his mouth. The senior pilot of the ship sat at the table with Bombur, Oin, Gloin, and Bifur. His attention had turned to a screen embedded into the table.

"That's weird," Gloin said.

"Who's beard?" Oin asked. His younger brother gave him an exasperated look. "What? Who's beard did what?"

"Not beard, weird."

"Still not understanding you, brother." Gloin groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look here," Fili said as he pointed to the screen. Bifur leaned over to inspect it. Another ship, an _Armada_ by the looks of the schematics, had docked beside their own.

"_Who else is out there?_" Bifur asked in Khuzdul. His cousin frowned and swiped a finger across the screen for more schematics. Fili waved Bombur's meaty hands away.

"There's no name," the pilot said after examining the Khuzdul ruins. "No name, no number . . . nothing. It's nameless."

"Alright, who's blameless this time?"

O.o.O

Dwalin swore to the heavens above when Bilbo screamed. It wasn't the squealing laughter or the abrupt 'no' scream. This one was different. It undulated up and down, reaching notes Dwalin was fairly certain no man – Dwarf, Elf, Man, or Hobbit – was supposed to make. The warbling call reminded Dwlain of gophers when they were warning one another of predators nearby. Whirling around, he spotted Bilbo standing beside the doorway. The Hobbit had his mouth open and his hands clenched at his sides.

"Bilbo," Dwalin said, abandoning the kiosk for the screaming creature. "What's wron'? Bilbo? Answer me!" Bilbo continued to scream, adding in a few sharp notes sounding similar to a raven's croak. Dwlain slapped a hand over Bilbo's mouth and the screams finally stopped. His eyes, whites showing, whirled around until they finally fell on Dwalin.

"What's wron', Bilbo. Talk to me." He felt lips moving against his palm. Slowly he drew his hand away. Bilbo's lips moved but no sound came from them. Dwalin placed a steady hand on Bilbo's shoulder, feeling the trembles that ran through the Hobbit's body. "Bilbo?"

"A-Atter," Bilbo said in a bare whisper. Dwalin's heart sank into his stomach. He reached back to grab Keeper.

"Ring on sword out," he growled. Bilbo, his trembles running through his limbs, didn't heed the order immediately. "RING ON SWORD OUT!" Dwalin roared. And Bilbo leapt so suddenly that he was surprised the Hobbit didn't jump out of his skin. Bilbo thrust one hand into his pocket, the other grabbing his sword's handle. And then he was gone. He vanished straight into thin air. "You stay by me, Bilbo," Dwalin said in a low voice, certain the Hobbit could hear him. "Don't leave this room. You stay by me."

O.o.O

None of the three Dwarves moved from their positions. Kili's chest heaved with anticipation. Balin shifted one foot forward to brace himself. Thorin kept his grip on Orcrist tight but ready, just in case. They all stared at the door to the docking bay. Each second felt like an hour to Thorin. He could hear his heart in his ears. His military training had kicked in moments into the realization. He strained his ears for the sound of any movement.

The door hissed open, revealing a black nothingness.

"What?" Kili had barely a second to ask before something flew into the room. Thorin only needed one brief glance to see the familiar canister.

"GET DOWN!" he roared, throwing himself sideways. Balin, recognizing the canister himself, dropped to the floor and covered his head. Kili looked to both warriors in confusion before his gaze shifted to the canister. Thorin watched as though in slow motion. It flew through the air straight at Kili's head, the young Dwarf not knowing what was coming.

"KILI, GET DOWN!" The warning came a moment too late. The canister imploded in midair not inches from Kili's face. A terrific bang echoed through the hall and Kili dropped to the floor, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Thorin, his own ears ringing, rolled to his feet. He stumbled sideways in a fit of vertigo into the wall. Amongst the tilting walls and curling ceilings, he could just make out his nephew. Kili shuddered on the floor, blood trickling down his neck from his ears. The explosive sound had likely blown his ear drums.

"Balin," Thorin tried to shout over the ringing. He turned on dizzying feet, aware of his dangerous swaying. "Balin, where are you." One more turn brought him face to face with his first-mate. Balin charged at him, ducking down to sweep Kili's bow from the floor and to empty the pilot's quiver of arrows. He grabbed Thorin by the arm without a single word and dragged him down the hall. Thorin glanced back at his nephew in time to see another canister flying into the hall.

"Down," a tinny voice shouted in Thorin's ear. Following his older friend, Thorin threw himself sideways around the corner. The deafening blast echoed through the halls. The walls shuddered with the sheer force of it.

"Thorin." He turned at the sound of his name. He could hardly hear anything above the obnoxiously loud ringing. Balin held out Kili's bow to him, arrows in hand. "Shoot." Thorin took the bow and an arrow from his first-mate. Steadying himself, he peeked around the edge of the corner.

Several Men dressed in black stepped into the hall. Each clutched an automatic rifle in their hands, swaying left and right as they searched for something. Bulbous goggles covered their eyes. It reminded Thorin of an insect of some sort. Everything the Men wore, from the goggles to their very boots, had been emblazoned with a red spider. The mark sparked a memory in Thorin's mind. A mithril case and its small, black spider.

"Balin," Thorin whispered, unsure if his friend could hear him. "Spiders."

The Spiders moved with crooked limbs. They swayed back and forth as they scuttled around. One Spider flipped Kili over and Thorin felt his stomach lurch. His nephew, the poor lad, struggled to raise a hand in his befuddled state. The Spider just laughed, Thorin really couldn't tell without his hearing, and aimed his gun at Kili's heart. He pulled the trigger. Kili gave one great surprised buck and then fell to the floor in spasms. Fury boiled in Thorin's stomach.

Notching the arrow to the bow, Thorin stepped out from around the corner. His military training had him in action before the Spiders knew what was happening. He shot the Spider standing over Kili down in a swift blow to the head. Balin passed him another arrow and he shot another Spider down, this time to the heart. Arrow after arrow he shot until all twelve were gone. By that time the Spiders had realized what was happening too little too late. Several raised their guns to fire but Thorin had already ducked back behind the wall. He tossed Kili's bow aside and grabbed Balin by the arm. Together they ran down the hall away from the Spiders.

O.o.O

"Okay, now I really heard a scream," Dori said, straightening up. "That sounded like Kili."

"You're just hearing things," Nori said through a yawn. Bofur peeked out from underneath his furry hat with a questioning look.

"I swear I heard a scream," Dori argued. Ori stood from his seat on the floor, wringing his cardigan between his fingers.

"You're scaring Ori," Nori said. Ori bristled at that.

"Am not!" Bofur chuckled and pulled his hat over his eyes. Dori patted his youngest brother on the arm and turned to scold Nori. A shout carried down the hall.

"GARB! BABÂN! GARB! _(ATTACK! SPIDERS! ATTACK!)_"

No one hesitated. Dori drew his sword from its sheath while Nori swung his mace up from the floor. Bofur had his mattock over one shoulder before Ori had even begun to struggle opening his bag of stones.

"BABÂN! BABÂN! GARB!"

"That's Thorin," Bofur said with a serious scowl. "Never knew he was so tone deaf."

"Come on," Nori urged. He led the way out of the shower room, the door hissing open at his approach. Dori followed his brother alongside Bofur while Ori took up the rear. Nori swung his mace out into the hall, not bothering to look where it was going. It connected with something rather solid with a crunch. Someone on the other side screamed.

"Really hope that wasn't Thorin."

"Nori," Dori hissed. Nori ignored him to step out into the hall. Dori watched as his younger brother disappeared around the bend. He waited with bated breath. No sound came for Nori for several seconds until . . .

"Get out here, now." The words came in a loud whisper. Dori rushed out of the room to see Nori crouching over an unconscious Man. Blood pooled under his head. Bofur swore softly. Ori whimpered and Dori stepped in front of him to block his view. Nori turned the Man's head, shattered goggles barely on his face anymore, to inspect him.

"It's a Spider," Nori said. "One of Attercop's crew." Dori's stomach twisted at the words.

"Who?" Bofur asked. Nori straightened up, wiping his stained hands on his pants.

"No time to explain. We have to get out of here. Now."

"Wh-What's going on?" Ori asked. "Who's Attercop? Is he bad?" Nori groaned and fisted a hand in his hair. "I'm not moving until you tell me what's going on?" Any other time Dori would have been proud of his youngest brother standing up for himself. But this was not any other time. This was now and now meant run.

"Not now, Ori," Dori hissed out, grabbing his younger brother by the arm and steering him down the hall. Ori opened his mouth to argue but Dori cut him off. "You like living, yes? Then run!" He shoved Ori forward into a dead sprint, Nori and Bofur close behind.

"We need to find somewhere we can fence them in," Nori said from behind his brothers. "If we had bows or guns we'd be able to take them head on."

"Ya've got yer throwin' knives," Bofur reminded his friend.

"Aye, but I only have four. They won't be much use against Attercop's crew."

"Somewhere we can fence them," Dori repeated softly to himself. "Somewhere we can fence them in . . . The cafeteria!" he said, turning in his run to look at his younger brother. "We can lead them there and take the kitchens out. Those doors lock."

"With a passcode," Bofur said.

"Get me a door and I'll lock it," Nori countered.

"Ori," Dori called to his youngest brother. "Next right!"

O.o.O

"BABÂN! BABÂN! GARB!"

Fili had his twin swords out before his uncle's words had finished bouncing off the walls. Gloin whirled his axe out, signing to his brother quickly. Oin grabbed his staff. Bifur and Bombur worked together to flip the table they sat at on its side. They used chairs on either side to prop the rounded surface up. The five Dwarves ducked behind the table. Fili shifted both swords to one hand and reached for the throwing axes on his boots. He had knives all over his body. Losing one would barely mean anything to him in a battle. He'd just grab another.

They waited with bated breath for the attack to come.

O.o.O

"Babân! Babân! Garb!" Dwalin growled at Thorin's soft shouts. His captain and friend was on the other side of the Space Station from the sounds of it. They'd never reach each other in time. It didn't kill to try, though.

"Bilbo, on my tail," Dwalin said as he grabbed Grasper from its harness. He held both axes out before him. "Stay behind me and don't get hit." A small hand patted him on the back. Snarling to himself, Dwalin charged forward from the room.


	37. Undefended and Uniting

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

**Undefended and Uniting**

Thorin threw himself down another hall, cursing the architect of this particular Space Station. Its twists and turns, not to mention its spread-out design, made it nearly impossible to find a good place to make a stand. Thorin paused at a fork in the hall. His head whipped back and forth as he inspected the options. The ringing in his ears continued to block any sound that could have come his way. A hand on his shoulder caused him to whirl around, Orcrist drawn. Balin gave him an exasperated look.

'Forget about me already?' the older Dwarf signed in Iglishmek.

'Sorry,' Thorin signed back. 'I cannot hear anything.'

'Neither can I. We need to find the others.'

'I have warned them, but there is not much they can do with swords and axes.'

'Fili and Nori both know how to throw weapons well enough.'

'Two against . . . who knows how many Spiders are on that ship.' Balin sighed, his shoulder slumping.

'You have a point there. What do you propose?' Thorin prepared to answer the singed question when his eye caught a change in the color of the wall. A shadow passed over it, definitely a human one. Shoving Balin behind him, Thorin signed for him to remain where he was. He held Orcrist before him and approached the hallway. Slowly, he crept toward the fork. This particular hallway branched off at an odd angle, making it impossible for him to see anything past a few feet. The shadow drew nearer and Thorin raised his sword to strike. The moment it came within range, he lunged forward and swung down.

Grasper and Keeper caught the sword at the last moment. Dwalin held the crossed axes over his head like a shield, though it probably was one. His arms strained against the force of Thorin's blow. Thorin drew his sword back as soon as he realized who he'd attacked. Balin hurried past him to head-butt his brother. Glaring past Balin, Dwalin spoke to Thorin. The captain of the ship could hardly make out any sound, only seeing his friend's lips moving. Balin tapped his younger brother on the shoulder to get his attention.

'Reverberating canister,' he signed. 'We were caught in the blast.' Dwalin looked his brother and friend worriedly.

'Are either of you bleeding?' he signed, knowing himself the dangers of reverberating canisters. 'Any damages to the ears?'

'Past the bleeding,' Thorin signed. 'No. Kili took a blast to the face, though. His ears drums blew. They shot him.'

'The Spiders?'

'Aye. Where is Bilbo?' Balin nodded vigorously with Thorin's question. Dwalin turned slightly and spoke over his shoulder to something. Thorin barely Dwalin's hair moving on its own before he stopped. Dwalin turned back to him.

'Ring on, sword out. He's safe behind me.'

'We need to find a place to take a stand,' Balin signed to his brother and friend. 'We cannot do it here. They could come from three fronts.' Dwalin turned, apparently listening to something Bilbo said, before he returned his attention back to Thorin.

'What about Kili? Bilbo wants to know.'

'They are swarming from the docking station where they shot Kili. We would never be able to get him out of there without us getting attacked.' Balin's shoulders sagged and Dwalin shook his head in remorse. He reached behind himself. Possibly to pat Bilbo on the head, Thorin supposed as he could not see the Hobbit.

'We can head back the way we can,' Dwalin signed to Thorin. 'Bilbo and I were at the disbursement sight. There's no entrance or exit except for one door. We could hide in there.' Thorin thought through his options before nodding.

'We have no other choices right now. Let us go.' Dwalin motioned for Thorin to lead the way and took up the rear. Thorin supposed this was a good idea. Out of three warriors, only one could hear. Dwalin would notice an attack from behind before either Balin or himself. Now he knew what Oin felt like.

O.o.O

The doors to the cafeteria slid open and Fili reacted on instinct. He threw the axe with deadly aim over the edge of the table, ducking back down before anyone could shoot. He heard shouts of surprise and a rather girly scream. Bifur's eyes widened when he recognized the scream and Bombur leapt up with a dismayed shout. Standing slowly, Fili tried to assess the damage he'd done while trying not to look sheepish at the same time.

Nori, Dori, and Ori stood in the doorway of the cafeteria. Dori had clapped a hand over Ori's eyes. Nori stared wide-eyed at his friend and the engineer of the ship. Fili flushed brightly when he saw what he had done. Bofur stood just inside the doorway, his hands held high in the air. His legs were spread wide where he stood. Fili's throwing axe was embedded in the wall between Bofur's legs. The engineer's eyes had gone wide and he trembled where he stood. Fili's aim had been a bit off with the throw, but he thanked Mahal for that. If it had been a few inches higher . . . He shuddered to think of what could have happened.

"What is what ya all and my balls?" Bofur croaked before falling backward. "I swear, yer all tryin' ta neuter me." Laughter rippled through the gathered Dwarves. Bifur roared in laughter while Bombur hurried around the table to help his older brother back to his feet. Bofur stood, trembling, and he gave Fili a soft smile. Nori moved to wrench the axe-head from the wall and tossed it back to Fili who caught it.

"Nice throw," he said as Dori lowered his hands from Ori's eyes. "What is it Dwalin's always drilling into you?" Fili relaxed his shoulders.

"Assess," he said. "Then act." Nori nodded seriously. "I thought you were the Spiders."

"Sorry to burst your bubble," Bofur said weakly. "But we're hardly black-market lackeys."

"Attercop's not a lackey," Nori said. He moved to crouch beside the panel to the sliding doors. Drawing a device from his pocket, he hooked wires into the control panel and pressed a few buttons. "He's a leader. He spins himself a web with workers and catches prey in it."

"How do you know so much about him?" Fili asked curiously. Nori looked to Dori who could only shake his head and shrug. Ori tugged helplessly at sleeves.

"I was part of his web," Nori admitted. Oin looked to Gloin who translated into Iglishmek for him. "Only got out when I asked the Government for protection. They said they'd only do it if I spied on Bofur for them."

"Which he did," Bofur said, raising a single hand. Bombur pushed his hand back down while Bifur continued to laugh.

"After Dwalin threw himself down the shaft I quit spying for the Government, decided I had better things to do."

"Gandalf protected him after that," Dori said quickly, planting his hands on his hips. "And he's a reformed spy."

"I prefer to call myself a thief."

"Not helping!"

"We've all got skeletons in our closets," Gloin said.

"You don't wear corsets."

"Ach, brother!"

"Done," Nori said. "The doors should be locking any moment now." Fili stiffened at the sound of pounding boots echoing through the halls. "And just in the nick of time." The doors begin to slide shut. It was too slow, though. Fili watched in horror as Men rounded the corner. One pointed in their direction and shouted, waving his friends on. One raised their gun.

"HIT THE DECK!" Fili bellowed before falling hard behind the table. Gloin, Oin, and Bifur fell beside him. He heard shouts from the other side of the table. The sound of guns firing filled the hall for several long seconds before the doors squealed shut. The lock clicked into place. Slowly, Fili sat up from behind the table. He peeked over to see Nori crouched beside the panel, his forehead pressed against the wall. Bofur had sprawled sideways, taking his younger yet larger brother down with him.

"We're all right," Gloin said, clapping a hand to his forehead. "No one got hurt."

"_Ori!_" Dori's scream wrenched at Fili's heart. He twisted his torso to see Dori crouched over his youngest brother. Ori spasmed on the floor, his limbs jerking in all directions. His eyes rolled back into his head. Ice filled Fili's stomach. He launched himself over the table and raced to Dori's side.

"Ori, Ori, please," Dori begged his youngest brother. Nori abandoned his post at the door to crawl to his brothers' sides. "Please, sweetheart, baby, don't do this. Don't go where we can't follow." Ori's teeth chattered in his spasms. A flailing arm caught Fili in the chest but he ignored it. He couldn't do anything but stare at his friend in abject horror.

"Move it! Move aside!" Fili allowed himself to be shoved aside as Oin hurried forward. The medic pinned one wrist down, stopping the flailing of that limb at least. Dori stuffed in his knuckles in his mouth to stifle his sobs and Nori grabbed his shoulder in a tight grip. Oin pressed his fingers to Ori's pulse point in his neck then lifted an eyelid. Opening his mouth, the medic examined his throat. Eventually he sat back on his feels.

"It's a fit of some sort," he said. "But I can't find the cause. His pupils are blown and his eyes are shot."

"It's venom," Nori said. Dori sniffled, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I recognize it."

"What's . . . venom?" Bofur asked in a soft voice. Nori dipped his hand into Ori's knitted-covered shoulder and drew out a small bullet. It wasn't any bullet Fili recognized. It was smaller than normal with a needle at the end.

"Venom. It's one of Attercop's inventions. It shuts down the muscles in your body and you suffocate to death. I've never seen it have this kind of reaction, though." Horrified eyes turned to Ori who continued to tremble and jerk. Dori sobbed, falling sideways into his conscious brother. Nori dropped the bullet and wrapped his arms around Dori. He shushed his elder brother helplessly.

"Then there's nothing we can do," Oin said softly. A pounding on the door caused them all to jump. Fili rose to his feet slowly.

"We need to barricade the door," he said. "Bottleneck them so they have nowhere else to go."

"Who put you in charge?" Nori said.

"Don't start," Dori pleaded through his tears. "Please, don't start a fight. Not now." Nori's jaw clicked shut but he kept a steady gaze on Fili who squared his shoulders.

"I am heir to the throne of Erebor. And right now, I'm the only one stepping up to the plate. So either fight with me or stand aside. I really don't care which you do." Nori's eyes narrowed at that. Dori sobbed once more and his façade broke.

"Fine, we'll do it your way. What do we do?"

"Gloin, Bombur, get as many tables and chairs as you can lined up by the doors. Make them a _V_ to bottleneck the Spiders," Fili ordered. "Bofur." The engineer straightened up, his jovial smile gone. "Take Ori's slingshot and stones. I want you to act as a distraction against these Men when they come through. Nori, you and I are going to stay here and take down as many Men as we can."

"What about us?" Oin asked Fili, motioning to himself and Dori. Fili thought for a moment before his eyes fell on Ori. The youngest Dwarf had finally stopped spasming, his limbs lying still.

"Take care of Dori," Fili said. "He's been hit the hardest." Oin nodded slowly and moved around Ori's body to pull Dori to his feet. The other Dwarf didn't hesitate to cling to Oin, sobbing into the medic's shoulders. Nori reached into his boots to draw his throwing knives. Bofur, moving with careful hands, untangled Ori's slingshot from the youngling's arms and grabbed his bag of stones. He retreated back to the kitchen door.

"We hold this room," Fili said as Gloin and Bombur carried a table past him. "This is our first line of defense. I want survivors out through the kitchens if this goes sour." No one bothered to correct his term of _if_ to _when_. They all knew what was coming. Fili breathed hard as he listened to the pounding against the door. They could break through at any minute.

O.o.O

Thorin hated the room the moment they walked in. Dwalin's head whipped back and forth like a predator's, scanning for something, anything really. Balin planted his hands on his hips and shook his head. This was no good. The room was bare of any furniture. There would be nothing to protect themselves with.

'It is no use,' Thorin signed to Balin who jabbed Dwalin in the back. The warrior turned and Thorin signed it again. 'We cannot defend this place without any forms of defense.'

'What do you suggest?' Balin asked. 'We have nowhere else to go.' The three Dwarves looked back and forth between each other. Finally Thorin shook his head.

'Unless we have time to move, you are right.' Dwalin turned his torso to speak to Bilbo behind him. Thorin watched the interaction, wishing his ears weren't ringing so badly. Eventually Dwalin turned back to them.

'Bilbo says he can hear them coming. He's startin' to freak out.'

'Weapons at the ready,' Thorin signed. 'Balin, you and I will be on one side of the door, Dwalin and Bilbo on the other. We flank it.' He turned to see Balin's watery eyes. The older Dwarf clapped him on the arm, unsure of what to say. Thorin, sharing in the feeling, pulled his old friend forward to bump foreheads with him.

"I would have followed you to Erebor," Balin said, his voice tinny in Thorin's ears. "I would have followed you to the ends of the universe." Thorin closed his, relishing in the familiarity and safety of the touch. And then Dwalin knocked them both on the heads with the flat ends of his axes.

'They're comin'!' Thorin and Balin hurried to stand on the left side of the door while Dwalin stood on the right. The younger warrior gave it only a moment's thought before he grabbed his war hammer and tossed it to his older brother, Balin having lost his sword near Kili. The three Dwarves prepared themselves for the horror that came their way.


	38. Fears and Fights

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

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><p><strong>Fears and Fights<strong>

They should have made the door out of steel. They should have built the halls with a better defense plan. They should have armed the Station. They should have. They should have. They should have. The words rang through Fili's head as he stood beside Nori. Bombur and Gloin had left the table on its side where it had originally been as protection for the throwers. A series of chairs had been lined up behind the table upon which Fili and Nori had laid out their weapons for easier access.

"Don't worry if you get hit in the head," Nori told Fili, elbowing him in the side. "The venom is useless unless it's shot in the upper torso area. It breaks down in the bloodstream on its way to the heart.

"Right," Fili said. That would explain why Nori had broken off the backs of chairs and forced Fili to tie one to his chest. Protection against the venom. The door gave a particular shudder as someone rammed into it. Fili's head whipped around to look toward it. "Do you think Kili's out there."

"Probably," Nori said. "If he's lucky he was nowhere near the Spiders when they boarded the Space Station." Neither of them had to voice what would have happened if he'd been unlucky. Fili had already seen it with Ori. Oin had managed to convince Dori they needed to move the body. They were now holed up in the kitchen. Bofur stood just inside the kitchen doorway, slingshot ready.

"They'll break the code," Nori said softly. "They know how I work. Any minute they'll break the code." Fili could have done without the commentary. It wasn't really helping his nerves. Then again, it did tell him when to expect the attack.

Nori had been right. They cracked the code only minutes after he'd spoken. The doors slid open and the Men charged in. They were silent but for the pounding of their boots and their strange clicking sounds. The aligned tables prevented the Men from spreading out as they rushed into the room.

Fili and Nori reacted almost instantly, each grabbing weapons. They lobbed throwing axes and knives at the Men. Spiders fell with gurgled screams or shouts of pain. The Dwarves fired off their weapons alternately, neither wanting to strike the same target as the other. It would have been a waste of weapons. From somewhere behind them, Bofur shot off the stones from Ori's slingshot. They struck Spiders in the face, the Men squealing in pain and dropping to the floor. One particular stone struck a pair of goggles, shattering the glass.

It was pandemonium. Fili had never faced an enemy quite like this before. For every Man they shot down another took his place. _Spiders,_ Fili thought wryly to himself as Nori threw a knife. He grabbed a throwing axe, testing its weight in his hand. _Hydra would have been better._ He lobbed the axe, catching a Man in the throat. The Spider collapsed, his hands flying to the weapon.

The Spiders behind their fallen brothers seemed to have discovered what was happening. Instead of forcing entry into the room, they opened fire. Several darts bounced harmlessly off Fili's modified chest plate. One or two struck him in the cheek and neck. They pricked with pain that faded quickly. Fili and Nori reached for the very last knife at the same time. They looked to each other in horror for a split second before Fili motioned to Nori. The thief grabbed the knife while Fili drew his twin swords. He hefted them in preparation. Nori threw the very last knife with swift aim before swiping his mace up from the ground. Raising his sword high, Fili shouted.

"Ihkirruki! _(Charge!)_"

As one, Nori and Fili launched themselves over the table. Fili landed hard on his feet and shoved off immediately, swinging back and forth against the Spiders. Nori landed on his shoulder, easily rolling back up to his feet. Fili ducked as the thief swung his mace. It whistled over his head and connected with several Spiders' heads. Fili straightened up, swinging his swords around once more. He jabbed here and there, wherever he could reach.

The Spiders, unused to hand-to-hand combat, didn't seem to know what to do. They clicked back and forth to each other in fear. Some fired off their rounds at Fili and Nori, but always they bounced harmlessly off the chest plates. One made an irritated sound. He waved to his fellows.

It happened while Fili cut down a Spider, slicing through his leg easily. Another Spider dropped his gun and grabbed him by the arm. He twisted Fili's wrist and Fili cried out at the pain. His sword clattered to the ground uselessly. He wrenched against the grip. When that didn't work he swung out with his other sword. The Spider just grinned, all pointy white teeth, and twisted Fili's arm in a way that had the Dwarf on his knees. He spotted Nori struggling against three Spiders who wrestled his mace from him. Another Spider grabbed Fili's other arm and wrenched the sword from his grip. Together the two Men held his arms out, trapping him there.

Fili struggled against the Spiders' grips. He heard shouts behind him from Bofur and Gloin. Turning his head, he meant to shout for them to stop, to turn and run and not look back. Something hard connected with his head and he jerked with the blow. His vision went askew. Head lolling forward, he watched the Spider before him. The Spider reached down and untied a strap from his shoulder. The chest plate clattered to the floor.

"Fili!" Bofur shouted helplessly.

"Run!" Nori called to friend. "RUN!" Fili kept his eyes glued on the Spider standing in front of him. He ignored the familiar shout of Bifur, the way the Spiders opened fire and Bofur and Bombur screamed helplessly. All that mattered were these last few seconds.

The Spider raised his gun and aimed it at Fili's chest. His mouth opened wide in a grin. Fili tried not to flinch at the sight of pointy white teeth. It creeped him out to say the least. The Spider spoke in his clicking tongue, his finger playing with the trigger.

"Nori,_ no_!"

"Dori, stop, go back! Dori! DORI!" Fili blinked back tears. He could just imagine it, Bifur and Dori spasming on the floor while their family watched on helplessly. The Spider's grin only grew and he pulled the trigger.

Fili didn't know what he was expecting. That he'd black out instantaneously. Or maybe he'd feel a spot of pain and then it would fade. He hadn't been expecting this. Pain bloomed out from the dart above his heart. It started out with a stabbing, icy feeling, as though someone had driven an icicle through his heart. And then that icicle turned to a forge-hot poker, twisting and turning in the wound. Forces within Fili battled for control, icy cold and fiery hot. He spasmed with the pain, his teeth chattering in his head. The Men holding him dropped him and he jerked on the ground. His fingers scrabbled helplessly against the floor, his mouth open in a soundless scream of pain. His eyes whirled in their sockets. All around him the Spiders and ceiling and walls twirled together to form one dizzying mass. He couldn't make the feeling stop.

And then the sensations ceased altogether. They didn't fade away one by one or trickle into nothingness. They were just . . . gone. Fili's muscles tensed. His limbs shot straight out and his back arched. Already he could feel the pounding of his heart slowing in his chest. He gasped for breath as his lungs failed to inflate. _Ba-bum, ba-bum, ba-bum. _His heart pounded like a forge hammer, fast and furious. _Ba-bum . . . ba-bum . . . ba-bum . . ._ He'd always wondered what death felt like. Surely it couldn't be that slow. _Ba-bum . . . ba-bum. _He'd never gotten to say goodbye to his mother and brother. _Ba . . . bum . . . ba . . . bum. _His vision clouded over, though his eyelids did not close. This was the end. He was about to die. _Ba . . ._

O.o.O

It started in his fingers and toes, a pins-and-needles sensation. His extremities tingled as thought insects were crawling over him. The sensation, strange as it was, spread slowly up his limbs. It tickled the crease of his elbows and caused his muscles to spasm. It was nothing like before, though. This time his muscles seemed to be testing themselves, as though making sure they could work one hundred percent. Eventually, _finally_, the sensation spread all the way to his chest. The most important muscle of his body constricted and . . .

_Ba-bum._ Kili's eyes snapped open. His diaphragm expanded and suddenly he was inhaling sweet air, his spine arching toward the ceiling. _Ba-bum ba-bum ba-bum._ The blood pounded through his ears. His fingers jittered against the floor, slowing as the muscles relaxed. His back hit the floor hard and he laid there breathing in the sweet air around him and blinking away tears.

Several minutes passed before Kili finally managed to push himself up onto his elbows. All around him laid the bodies of Men, the very Men who had stormed the Station. Kili bolted upright at the memory. His fingers moved to his cheeks where he felt the caked blood. The pain had vanished in his time unconscious. He could hear again.

"Thorin," Kili whispered to himself. His uncle had shot Men down before fleeing. He didn't blame him for it, either. A sword was useless against guns. Rolling onto his hands and knees, he forced himself to his feet, stumbling into a wall. He braced himself there and just breathed. His muscles felt as useful as wet noodles at the moment.

Shots rang distantly down the hall. A scream followed soon after and Kili's head shot up. He knew that sound from the multiple times he'd flipped the ship over in midair. His brother was under attack.

Kili gathered both his wits and energy, and shoved off the wall. Stumbling down the hall was a struggle enough. Finding his bow, though, was a blessing. He nearly fell over in his attempt to get it. His legs could barely hold him up on their own. Once he had the bow, it was only a matter of gathering his strewn arrows. It gave him a sense of satisfaction to see the work of his uncle's excellent aim.

Armed and ready for battle, Kili forced himself down the hall. Every step he took gave him courage and the will to continue on. His brother had saved him enough times, now it was his turn.

O.o.O

Legolas followed Tauriel around the cockpit, nearly running into her when she stopped abruptly to speak with the captain.

"You cannot do this, Tauriel," he said in another attempt to make her see reason. "My father has forbidden us." The captain of the ship rounded on him and he had half a mind to step back. Tauriel was well-known to be dangerous with knives. Her reputation before being adopted by the Elvenking didn't help any, either.

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do on my ship," the captain hissed at her friend. "You are a _guest_, Legolas. I do not care if your father is the king or not. There are Dwarves on that Station and Spiders."

"It is not our fight," Legolas said urgently. Tauriel huffed at him and turned back to her pilot, her hair whipping through the air. Legolas flinched when the strands brushed along his face. "Tauriel, think of what my father will say."

"There is nothing your father can say that would convince me otherwise," Tauriel said. She patted the pilot on the shoulder and spun on her heel, marching away. Legolas followed her on her way down to the cargo bay. "Those Spiders have invaded our airspace long enough. Now they have the nerve to board a Station controlled by the Government and attack the visitors there."

"That is the Government's business."

"The Government does not even bother to monitor the Stations. Those Dwarves will be killed and their bodies left to rot until the next moon cycle."

"Is there nothing I can do to convince you, Tauriel?" Legolas asked. He had to jerk himself back when his friend stopped in her tracks. Her shoulders and stiffened and when she turned, her face was a mask of fury and annoyance. "I see . . . then let me be of some use. Perhaps my father will see reason if I help you with this."

"Your father would not see reason if it shot him in the face," Tauriel snapped. Legolas narrowed his eyes and she sighed, brushing her hair over her shoulder. "_Mellon_, your father is stubborn. Help if you will, but he will see no reason to forgive us for these actions."

"Then so be it. I would hate to be left on his ship while you had your fun." Tauriel smiled smugly at that and turned, continuing her way down the hall. Legolas considered his friend's expression for a moment before he scowled. "Tauriel, you trickster!" Tauriel just laughed.

O.o.O

He heard the entire ordeal through the transmitter. Bofur's screams, Nori and Fili's warnings, Dori's howls . . . It brought back haunting memories. He broke out into gooseflesh, sweat beading on his forehead. His breaths came out in wheezing gasps. And when Bofur gave one last horrible scream, he couldn't take it anymore.

Wrenching the transmitter from his ear, Bilbo hurled it across the room. His ring flew with the movement. The two devices bounced off the wall together, but only one rolled away. Thorin shouted and Dwalin swore, but Bilbo ignored them as he bolted from the room.

"Bilbo, get back here!"

"Bilbo, that's not safe!"

"BILBO BAGGINS!"

He ignored them all and ran, one hand clapped over his bare ear while the other clutched his sword tight. His feet carried him far away. To where, he could not tell.

O.o.O

It was the sight of bodies that met the Elves when they stepped into the Station. They had ripped the Spiders' ship away in order to open up a spot. The Stations were never made for more than two ships at a time. Tauriel paused just in the doorway, Legolas close behind. She surveyed the mess before her with keen eyes.

"It appears to me as though they can hold their own," Legolas commented drily. Tauriel ignored him and continued on down the hall. Her crew followed her, quiet as they examined the bodies. Celegrûth crouched to exam a Man and jerked something from his chest.

"Tauriel," the engineer called. She stood, offering an arrowhead out when her captain approached her. Crossing the ground quickly, Legolas watched his friend examine the weapon.

"Dwarves," she eventually said.

"I was not aware there were any archers among the Dwarves," Celegrûth commented. Tauriel shot her a look but she didn't take it back.

"Normally they are not," Legolas said, speaking in place for her friend. Tauriel tossed the arrow aside and moved to examine another Man. "Many prefer to fire weapons from a ship. There is no honor in that."

"I have heard the Dwarves forgot their honor when they found their gold," Corulang the navigator said. A few of the crew member laughed, shaking their heads. The laughter died away when their captain turned back, a few more arrowheads in her hands.

"Someone attempted to take the arrows for reuse," Tauriel said. Legolas accepted the arrowheads as she tossed them to him. He examined one for himself and found the head snapped off. "Someone may still be on this station."

"What do you suggest, Captain?" Corulang asked stiffly.

"Search the entire ship," Tauriel ordered. "Keep an eye out and shoot anything that is not a Dwarf. Save what survivors you can." Her orders were met with many salutes. The crew split themselves into search parties and departed, leaving Legolas and Tauriel alone in the hall. Legolas turned on his friend.

"What are you not telling them?" he asked. Tauriel gave him a sideways look before turning away. "Tauriel, I can tell when you are hiding something. What is it?"

"_Hên ned in Ungol_," Tauriel hissed out. Legolas tensed, whipping the arrow from around his shoulders.

"What is a spawn doing here?" he demanded in a hushed voice. "She never lets them out of her sight."

"They must have angered their mother. We must move with caution. A _Hên ned in Ungol_ will not hesitate to kill anything in its path."


	39. Listless and Lifeless

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit!_

_A/N: BADA BOOM!_

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><p><strong>Listless and Lifeless<strong>

"BILBO BAGGINS!" Thorin roared helplessly. The pressure in his ears built, the whining sound growing until he could not bear it, and then they popped. Shaking his head like a wet dog, Thorin stumbled backward.

"Thorin, you alright?" Dwalin asked. He nodded quickly, rubbing his ear. In the corner of his eye he could see Balin doing the same thing.

"Must be the medical mites," Balin said as he lowered his hand. Dwalin breathed a sigh of relief knowing no one was in immediate danger of dying. Well, not no one. "We need to go after Bilbo."

"It would be too dangerous," Thorin argued. "Those Men are armed with guns."

"But they'll see Bilbo," Dwalin argued. "He threw his ring." Balin followed the direction of his finger and hurried across the room. Thorin ignored him in favor for turning back to the hall.

"There is no telling how many Men are still out there," he said. "Or what could have possibly frightened Bilbo."

"Regardless," Balin said as he made his way back to his brother and friend. He handed the ring to Dwalin who slipped it into his pocket. The transmitter he slipped into his own. "Bilbo has thrown himself into the path of an enemy. We cannot leave him to die alone." Thorin looked between the brothers before groaning. Dwalin grinned in triumph.

"Keep your eyes open," Thorin ordered, hefting Orcrist in his grip. "There is no telling what could happen." Balin and Dwalin nodded seriously before following him out into the hall.

O.o.O

He didn't know what led him there. Maybe Eru had decided to mess around with him, or luck just wasn't on his side that day. Whatever it was, Bilbo found himself standing in the doorway of the cafeteria, sword hanging in one hand. Before him laid the bodies of several Men. Swords and axes littered the floor in ways that suggested they had been pulled from injuries and tossed aside in the throes of death. One Man in particular had a pair of shattered goggles still wrapped around his face.

Stepping over a pair of legs, Bilbo move slowly into the room. He kept his eyes trained down on the floor. His vision blurred, blending the bodies and floor together. He couldn't tell what he was looking at – body, gun, or floor – until his eyes fell on a familiar shade of gold. A strangled cry fell from Bilbo's lips. He threw himself forward, falling to his knees at Fili's side. The Dwarf laid still on the floor, his eyes unseeing.

"Fili," Bilbo sobbed. He reached for the Dwarf's throat, paused, and then continued forward. His fingers pressed against a pulse point. He found nothing. No heart beat against his fingers, no life pulsed through the Dwarf. Fili was dead. "Fili, I'm sorry," Bilbo choked, draping himself across the Dwarf's still frame. Through blurred tears he could just make out Nori's body several feet away. The hot tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He sobbed shamelessly into the Dwarf until a voice echoed through the room.

"What. A. Shame." Bilbo's breath caught in his chest. "What a pity, what a shame. They really were such handsome Dwarves." Trembling on his knees, Bilbo tried to remind himself how to breathe. "And how they died. Tut, tut. There was no honor in it. Their mothers will be so disappointed." Adrenaline pulsed through Bilbo's veins and he shoved himself to his feet.

"Do you think they wept?" the voice asked, clicking with the words. "Do you think they begged for mercy?" Bilbo tried his hardest to ignore the words as he staggered away from Fili, sword in hand. He nearly tripped over the body of Dori, the Dwarf's hands reaching for his younger brother, on his way around the braced table. He had to get out of there, escape back to the ship somehow.

"I think they _begged_," the voice said as Bilbo skirted around the still Bifur. "I think they begged and pleaded for their gods to spare them. And look where that brought them." Bilbo choked at the sight of Bofur's boot just inside the kitchen door. "What about you, little fly? Will you beg for mercy in the end?"

The kitchen was no better than the cafeteria. Ori's body had been laid on a counter, his hands folded on his breast. Gloin leaned against the counter on the floor, as though he had fallen defending the body of his friend. His older brother laid beside him. His staff had been knocked aside, though it had seen its usefulness in the end. Several Men on the floor had blossoming bruises on their foreheads. Bombur was at the back of the kitchen, knives littering the floor around him. He had chosen to use the utensils as projectiles.

Bilbo choked back a sob, falling to his knees.

"A pity I will never know. They want you alive, see? I suppose trusting my boys could get the job done was foolish. I should have known better. But what's a few dead men worth? Nothing, in the end." He couldn't handle it anymore, couldn't keep it in. His throat burned with the bile and his stomach churned as he threw up. His friends were dead. Gone. He was trapped.

O.o.O

"Why would she have sent her spawn out of their webs?" Legolas asked as they hurried down the hall. They moved side by side, their feet barely making a sound on the steel floor. Their bows remained before them, notched and ready to fire.

"There is no way to tell," Tauriel said. "No one has ever captured a _Hên ned in Ungol _before. Their ways remain a mystery to us."

"The way they like it," Legolas said drily. Tauriel didn't respond as they continued down the hall. His eyes scanned the walls and floor, taking in every aspect. The canisters they'd found back by the ships suggested the victims had been attacked with an explosive before the Men had boarded. Beyond the entrance hall there were no bodies to speak off. The fight had started there, the defenders fleeing when they'd had the chance.

"_Daro_, (Stop,)" Tauriel commanded, a hand flying into the air. Legolas froze in mid-step and raised his bow, keeping his arm steady. "_Lasta,_ (Listen,)_ Mellon_." Looking at Tauriel from the corner of his eye, Legolas obeyed. He strained his ears. Several seconds passed before he heard it.

_"There he is!"_

_"Get him!"_

_"He's getting away!"_

Tauriel and Legolas exchanged brief glances before tearing in the direction of the voices. Years of training together kept them from jostling one another in their hurried footsteps. The sound of a gunshot urged Legolas into a dead sprint. Tauriel matched him step for step, a hand flying to her knife while she kept the bow loosely at her side.

He came around the corner with such speed Legolas faltered in his steps. The Dwarf, rather tall for his kind and raven-haired, skidded to halt at the sight of the Elves. His whipped back and forth as he glanced over his shoulder then back to the Elves. Legolas could only guess what was coming. Apparently so had Tauriel.

"Down!" she shouted, throwing her knife. The Dwarf hit the ground faster than Legolas had ever seen one move. The knife lodged in the throat of a Man just as he rounded the corner. He fell gurgling, the gun dropping to the floor.

Three more Men flew around the corner. Legolas shot one down immediately, reaching for another arrow before the last had struck his target. Tauriel joined him and together they brought the Men down in seconds. The Dwarf raised his head slowly, peeking over his shoulder before turning back to Legolas and Tauriel. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. Legolas kept a tight grip on his bow – arrow notched – just in case the Dwarf tried anything.

"Thanks," the Dwarf said hesitantly. He dusted himself off, though Legolas couldn't see a speck of dust on him. "They probably would have killed me."

"Are you the captain of the ship docked back there?" Tauriel asked, jerking her head over her shoulder. The Dwarf's eyes flicked in the direction and he frowned with a shake of his head.

"That'd be my uncle. I'm the junior pilot, Kili Durin." Legolas stiffened at the familiarity of the name. If this was a Durin then that could only mean his uncle was . . . "Thorin Oakenshield," Kili said to Tauriel's apparent question. Legolas jerked himself back to the present.

"And where is Captain Oakenshield?" Tauriel asked.

"Just Thorin," Kili corrected, and Tauriel arched one eyebrow. "He hates being called Captain Oakenshield. He's . . . somewhere on this Station. I don't really know where, though."

"Are you aware there is a _Hên ned in Ungol _on this ship?" Legolas asked sharply. Kili mouthed the words, his lips stumbling over the fluidity of Sindarin, and then he shook his head.

"I have no idea what that means."

"It means 'Child of the Spider'," Tauriel translated. "They are spawn of the woman who leads their operation." The Dwarf shrugged again.

"Haven't seen one of those on board yet."

"We have no time to argue," Tauriel said. "Kili, are there any more of your crew who have survived?"

"I really don't know," Kili said, shifting from foot to foot. "But I agree with you. We don't have time for this. Those Men, those _Spiders_, are on this Station looking for something. And if we don't find it first then everyone is going to be very, very sorry."

"_How do we know we can trust him?_" Legolas asked Tauriel in Sindarin.

"_He has nowhere else to go. He is trapped on this Station unless we choose to help him."_ Legolas sighed hard then turned his eyes on Kili. The Dwarf froze in the process of turning, his drawn sword held in a tight grip.

"Are you with me or not?" he asked.

"We are with you," Tauriel said. Kili grinned and darted away, leading the Elves down the hall.

O.o.O

Staring down the arrow of an Elf was not how Thorin had expected his day to go. He had intended to board the Station, fill up on fuel and resources, and then leave for Erebor once more. He had _not_ meant to chase a runaway Hobbit down the hallway only to meet four Elves on the way there. Dwalin growled as an Elf poked him in the side with the arrow.

"Touch me again, Pointy-Ear," the warrior snarled. "And you'll regret it."

"What is the meaning of this?" Balin asked, eyeing an arrow too close to his eye for his liking.

"There are Spiders aboard this ship," one Elf said. He – or she, Thorin really couldn't tell with this one – turned to his company. "Lower our bows, there is no reason for us to be threatening the Dwarves. They are not the ones we are hunting." His kin obeyed, their bows lowering from their threatening position. Thorin looked sideways at Balin. His first-mate licked his lips nervously.

"Have you seen anyone come down this way?" he asked slowly. The Elf paused in his conversing with one of his kin. He turned now to face Balin, a look of confusion on his face. "He would look like a child to you, not taller than four feet."

"We saw no child," the Elf said. "You are the first beings we have seen on this ship except or two Spiders back down the hall."

"Why would you Dwarves have a child on your ship?" another Elf asked curiously.

"We were transferring him to Lake-Town," Thorin said, lying through his teeth. "His name is Martin Freeman. He hails from Edoras."

"A human child," the first Elf said. "Strange for Dwarves to be carrying such precious cargo."

"We owed the king a personal debt."

Thorin watched as the leader of the group turned to his kin. He spoke quickly, words falling fluidly form his lips. One Elf answered in hushed tones. Thorin waited impatiently. Occasionally an Elf threw him a look, but otherwise he remained out of the conversation. Dwalin's impatience had reached the end of the rope – the Dwarf growling and fingering his axe – when the Elves finally turned back.

"Our captain has ordered us to find survivors," the first Elf said. "Halltinnu will lead you the three of you back to the ship while we search for your young friend." Thorin opened his mouth to argue but the Elf raised his hand. "We are not above knocking you unconscious if you choose to obey."

"_Thorin,_" Balin said in Khuzdul. "_We have no choice but to listen to them. We are both outnumbered and under prepared. We would not stand a chance against them._" Thorin hated to admit it, but he was right. They had no choice but to obey the Elves. It was with a heavy heart he spoke the next words in the common tongue.

"Lead the way."

O.o.O

"Come out, come, out, little fly," the voice clicked. "There's nowhere you can hide that Attercop can't find you." Bilbo scrambled behind the counter just as he heard footsteps enter the kitchen. Shadows danced across the linoleum floor. He watched three, no four, shadows move slowly into the kitchen. Only three held objects in their hands. The last remained unarmed.

"If it was my choice I would sell you," Attercop continued as Bilbo crawled backward on his knees. He kept his eyes trained on the shadows growing nearer. "Perhaps I would even take the time to find you a good master, someone who wouldn't beat you senseless daily. Would you have liked that, little fly?" Bilbo's stomach churned at the thought. He raised a shaking sword before him, as though to ward away evil spirits.

The shadows drew nearer and Attercop stepped around the corner. He was a tall Man, rather slender for the way his voice sounded. Bilbo had expected him to be smaller and maybe a bit weedier. The Man dressed in an impeccable black suit, a pair of black sunglasses perched on his nose. In the corner of the right lens was a red letter _A_. He grinned at the sight of Bilbo, his mouth filled with pointy white teeth.

"The little fly has a sting," Attercop clicked. His men chuckled at that. Two stepped up beside their leader while a third moved around the corner behind Bilbo. The Hobbit trembled, the tip of his sword lowering to the ground. "What did you expect to be able to do with that, little fly? Were you going to sting us?" The sword dropped from Bilbo's grip and he sobbed in terror. "Come now, little fly, you have no other choice but to come with us. I promise the return trip will be better than the last." Attercop stepped forward as he spoke. Bilbo flinched away as he reached out for him. "Just . . . give up."

"Get away from him!" Bilbo's eyes snapped open at the furious shout just in time to see one of Attercop's men drop to the floor. An arrow stuck out of his shoulder. Attercop reared back from Bilbo, spinning to face the door.

A red-haired Elf leapt into the room, nimbly hopping onto a nearby corner. She shot down another Man. A blond Elf followed her in, shooting the Man behind Bilbo almost immediately. Both Elves turned notched arrows on Attercop who hissed and clicked to himself. Bilbo barely had time to shout a warning before the Man had a canister out of his pocket. He wrenched a pin from the canister and tossed it into the air. From the other side of the counter, Bilbo heard Kili's shout.

"GET DOWN!" Bilbo flattened himself on the floor, aware of Attercop fleeing for the back door, just as the canister landed near his head. His let his jaw fall loose. The explosion rocked the entire room. It shattered against Bilbo's ear drums. Pots and pans shuddered and fell from their hooks on the walls. Tears filled Bilbo's eyes at the sheer force of it. Never before had he felt it.

Bilbo didn't know how much time passed before hands were patting him on the back. He raised his head to see Kili kneeling over him. The Dwarf smiled assuredly at him. He motioned behind himself at the two Elves who drew near. One – the red-haired Elf – removed ear plugs from her pointed ears with a smug smile. Her friend glared at her, as though he blamed her for the explosion.

"Elves, Martin," Kili's words brought Bilbo's attention back to the Dwarf. He frowned at the name. "Just like you've always wanted to see."

"Is he alright?" the red-haired Elf asked. Kili spared her a glance before turning back to Bilbo.

"He's just a bit shaken up. Good thing he listened to me, otherwise his eardrums might have been blown." Bilbo leaned against his friend, no longer caring for the improper name being used on him. The ringing in his ears was enough to drive him mad. It didn't matter, though. His adrenaline rush had ended and he was exhausted.

"Martin? Martin, you alright?" Kili's words faded away into nothingness as the black took over Bilbo's vision.


	40. Obscure and Oblivious

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Heh, guess I didn't write enough chapters for you guys already. Here's another one before I turn in for the night._

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Obscure and Oblivious<strong>

_January 5015, Outside Gondor Airspace_

Fili knew the moment they left the Gondor airspace. They traveled for a few hours during the day and well into the night. By the afternoon of the next day, they were gone, out of the airspace and into the uncharted territory between the Gondor System and the Khazad System. Where exactly the Government planned on sending him, his brother, and their friend to was a complete and utter mystery to him. And he would never know.

The first blast sent a tremor through the ship. One of the guards outside the cell made a noise of surprise and stood to investigate with the pilot. Fili and Kili shared a knowing look. A smirk graced Kili's lips. Ori huddled further into himself, preparing for the worst.

The second blast completely rocked the ship. She lurched sideways before the pilot steadied her again. The move jerked Fili against the handcuffs and he gritted his teeth. He could only hope it wouldn't get any worse than this. Boy, had he been wrong.

The ship they were on decided to trade fire with the attackers. Knowing his particularly feisty ship, and Kili's ambitious and energetic one, that did not bode well for the Men. Blast after blast struck the ship until she listed dangerously sideways. Lights all around flickered on and off as the main source of the ship was struck. Fili swore under his breath as they were plunged into utter blackness. Silence filled the air but for the shouting of the crew and guards.

"Are they done?" Ori asked in a quiet voice.

"I-I don't know," Kili said, stumbling over his own words. "Fili, you okay?" Fili opened his mouth to answer but was glad he never got the chance to. He probably would have bit off his own tongue. And _that_ couldn't exactly be regrown by the medical mites.

A particular shot from the _Eagles_ outside sent the prison ship keeling over completely. Fili found himself first jerked too far to the left and then suddenly upside down. He hung like a bat with nothing more than his arms and legs to suspend him. His limbs screamed in protest against the pain, begging for it to stop. Fili would have if he could have. But an _Eagle_ chose that moment to strike the ship hard. Fili's head snapped back and hit the wall, and black dots flooded his vision.

O.o.O

_October 5014, An Elvish Spaceship_

Bilbo didn't dream during his period of unconsciousness. He never did after adrenaline rushes. They drained his system entirely, leaving his mind too exhausted to haunt him with nightmares. He blamed the contaminated air for the horrors in the air vents. He still didn't understand them, but refused to ask anyone for help. Adrenaline, drugs, it seemed all he ever needed to sleep was drugs, whether they be natural or medical. He knew what Gandalf or Dwalin would say. Not healthy, it could start a drug addiction. And so, it was without a single nightmare that Bilbo up back in the one he was living.

Bilbo's eyes fluttered open and for a moment he couldn't understand what he was looking at. All around him were bunks he didn't recognize. Three high along the wall, they were a bit too long for a Dwarf to be comfortable in. Dori laid on the bunk directly across from him, his arms wrapped around Ori's waist. He had pressed his face into his younger brother's ginger hair. Ori didn't seem to mind one bit. In fact, if Bilbo's eyes weren't deceiving him, tear tracks ran down the youngest Dwarf's face.

"What were we supposed to do?" Balin's voice caught Bilbo's attention. He remained here he was, lying on the bunk with his eyes barely cracked open. The exhaustion still crashed over him in waves, as though the sleep he'd had wasn't enough.

"We should have convinced the bastards we did not need a ride to Mirkwood." Thorin sounded more furious than Bilbo had ever heard him before. That included the time he'd fallen from the rafters and gotten himself captured by trolls. Scratch that, he still blamed Kili for the 'getting captured' part of the trollshaw.

"They would not have listened, Thorin," Balin said in an exasperated voice. "The Elves are only trying to help us."

"And what happens when they realize what Bil-_Martin_ really is? They will take him from us and send him back to the Government." Martin? Government? For a moment Bilbo's muddled mind couldn't place any sense to these words. And then he remembered. Kili had called him 'Martin' just before he had passed out on the Station.

Bilbo's eyes, nearly closed now, snapped open and he sat up. Bofur? Nori? Fili? His head whipped back around to Dori. He watched the Dwarf's chest rise and fall in even breaths. Alive. Dori and Ori were both alive. Something tugged at Bilbo's waist but he ignored it as he crawled out from under the covers and along the bed. Down on the other end of the room – a rather long room, now that he saw it – he could make out a familiar hat resting on a hook. Two pairs of boots trailed over the edge of the bed and Bilbo cried out in relief.

"Martin?" The tugging on his waist resumed, growing stronger this time. Something jerked him back and he found himself held against a strong chest. "Martin, are you alright?" Bilbo whined and struggled against the arm pinning him down. Three figures stepped into his eye line and he held his arms out to one in particular.

"Hey there, buddy," Fili said as he climbed onto the bed. He eased Bilbo from the captivating arms, pulling him into his own lap. "How are you feeling? Does your head hurt anymore?" Bilbo ignored the gentle almost childish voice completely in favor of pressing his face against Fili's chest. The Dwarf was alive, _alive_. Bless Eru and Aüle and whoever else was up there.

"I believe Martin is still a bit jumpy," Balin commented. Leaning down, he seated himself on the edge of the bed. "We best let Oin take a look at him when he wakes up."

"Oin?" Bilbo repeated hopefully, pulling his face from Fili's chest. Fili carded a hand through his hair and he pressed into it, nearly purring in the back of his throat. Balin chuckled, Thorin sending him a dark look.

"Aye, Oin is alive as well, laddie. They gave us all quite a fright."

"Is B-Martin awake?" someone asked from down the room. Fili's arms tightened around Bilbo who pressed into the chest. The voice, though. It was wonderful to hear the jovial laugh again. Even the sly voice that spoke next was heavenly.

"How's the Martian feeling today?" Bofur and Nori stepped up behind Balin, Bofur leaning down to see Bilbo better. He grinned, his mustache twitching.

"He is not a Martian," Thorin said darkly. "So do not call him that."

"It's a play on words, Thorin, relax."

"It is not in the least bit funny."

"Let them be, Thorin," Dwalin said from behind Bilbo. He had been the one, Bilbo now discovered, to have been trying to pull him back into bed. "If they don't have pet names for him we'll never pull this off."

"We should not have to 'pull this off'," Thorin growled through gritted teeth. Bilbo looked around himself in confusion, his sluggish mind slowly catching up. The name 'Martin' rang a bell but he couldn't remember from where.

"It should only be until we get through the Woodland Realm," Balin said, looking to his captain seriously. "If Thranduil is none the wiser then we will be fine."

"What's going on?" Bilbo asked. Both Bofur and Nori shushed him, Bofur pressing a finger to his own lips. "Bof-mph!" Fili clapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish the Dwarf's name.

"Don't speak so clearly," Fili muttered into his ear. "You are a five year-old from the Edoras moon in the Rohan System. You can't be talking like you're an adult." Bilbo tugged fruitlessly at the hand covering his mouth.

"What about the pointed ears?" Dwalin asked in a bare whisper. "Can't hide those." Bofur and Nori shared a look before they both slinked away. Bilbo continued to tug at Fili's hand. The Dwarf sternly refused to remove it, as though thinking Bilbo would not be able to contain himself. Huffing to himself, Bilbo made his decision. If they were going to treat him like a child . . . then he was going to act like one.

Screwing up his face, Bilbo inhaled deeply through his nose and released a high-pitched squeal. He hadn't made the sound since he had been little and unable to speak. He hoped to get the message of 'I don't like this' and 'get your hands off me' across the Dwarves. Apparently it worked. Fili jerked his hand back in surprise and Bilbo immediately cut the sound off. He grinned victoriously to himself. And then he noticed the way the Dwarves were looking at each other.

"They'll know," Dwalin said as Balin chewed a knuckle. "Just the way he talks, they'll know."

"What can we do about the way he talks, though?" Fili said. "It's not like we can give a crash course of _Speak Like a Man 101_."

"Perhaps it would be best if Dori helped us with this," Balin offered after thinking for a few seconds. "He might think of something."

"Dori's not leaving Ori and Nori alone for the rest of the trip," Dwalin commented. Bilbo squirmed in Fili's lap, not liking the way the Dwarves were talking about him as though he wasn't there. What was wrong with the way he talked? His vocabulary and vocals were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

It was in this moment Kili chose to make his appearance. He flashed his brother a grin and even had the audacity to wink, to _wink_, at Bilbo.

"How are you feeling, sport?" he asked. Bilbo gave him the filthiest look he could muster. The Dwarf straightened up, looking around himself at his kin. "Nori and Bofur said you wanted to talk to me."

"I said no such thing," Thorin growled out. Kili's smile slid from his face like butter. He looked at the other Dwarves in confusion, searching for an answer. Bilbo continued to glare at him. Perhaps if he stared hard enough he could mentally start Kili on fire.

"You talked to the Elves, didn't you?" Dwalin said. Kili nodded once. "What did you tell them?"

"Well, they wanted to know who Martin was," the young Dwarf said eagerly. "So I told them the truth." At this, Thorin tensed and Dwalin exchanged glances with his older brother. "Martin's from Edoras. His parents died in the last plague so we're taking him to Lake-Town to be with his surviving relatives."

"What about his ears?" Balin said. "Did they mention anything about his ears?"

"Actually, yeah. Tauriel, the she-Elf, made the comment about his pointy ears. So I told her Martin had Elf somewhere in his ancestry. She seemed to believe me. I don't know about the other guy, though."

"So you're telling me I'm from Edoras?" Bilbo said, lowering his voice when he found himself shushed by the Dwarves. "And that I'm only five years old and have to act like it? Would someone mind telling me what's going on?" Thorin and Balin looked to each other before Thorin jerked his head. Dwalin managed to slide himself out from under the covers to follow his captain and brother away. As they left, Bilbo heard Balin speak.

"Martin still looks tired, let's the leave the lads to get him to take a nap."

The words sent a red flush up Bilbo's cheeks. The blood pounded in his ears and through it he could just barely make out Fili and Kili chuckling. He was so out of it that he found himself snuggled down between the two Dwarves under the covers. Fili kept him pinned there with an arm across his chest while Kili propped himself on an elbow with his back to the room. It created an effective barrier against any unwanted ears.

"How much do you know already?" Fili asked in a hushed voice. Bilbo had to think back to the past few hours, deciphering between the confusion and reality.

"Attercop came," he said softly, a shiver running through his body. Fili drew him closer and pressed his chin to the top of Bilbo's head. The move gave Bilbo a sense of security. "H-He and his crew shot everyone dead."

"He didn't technically shoot us," Kili corrected. "Nori explained those were darts filled with venom. They shut down the muscle system in your body so you suffocate. Oin thinks the medical mites countered the venom and that's what saved us all."

"So you weren't really dead?" Bilbo asked Fili. The image of the pilot lying dead on the floor still haunted him. Another shudder ran through his body and Fili shushed him.

"No, not at all," the Dwarf said. "I could see and hear everything but the rest of my body shut down for a while. My heart and lungs wouldn't work and I couldn't move."

"Bofur suggested the mites sent us into a comatose state while they killed the venom," Kili said. "I know I woke up a couple hours after the Spiders first attacked. I tried to find Thorin but a few of the Spiders spotted me and chased me. That's when I ran into Tauriel and Legolas. They killed the Men and helped me rescue you. After we got you onto the ship I had to convince them that everyone else wasn't actually dead. Ori waking up at that moment seemed to help and they moved everyone onto their ship. We've all been kind of sitting around waiting for everyone else to wake up."

"But everyone's alright?" Bilbo asked in a weak voice.

"Everyone but you," Fili said, nuzzling Bilbo's hair. "You poor thing, facing down Attercop on your own. That must have been terrifying." Bilbo leaned into his touch, whining in the back of his throat. It _had_ been terrifying to meet the creature of his nightmares.

"No idea what happened to him," Kili muttered in a soft voice. "Tauriel said one of her crew shot him when he was making a getaway in one of their pods."

"We can hope," Fili sighed. Kili hummed in agreement. "Now, Martin, we need to go through a couple of rules."

"What kind of rules?" Bilbo asked.

"Pick a Dwarf and stick to them," Kili said, holding up his pointer finger. "You're five years old, you're not going to want to trust an entire crew of Dwarves."

"Two," Fili said with two fingers help up. "Don't talk too much. Kids are shy and you speak with a weird accent that goes up and down."

"I resent that!"

"Three, act like you're really curious about the Elves, like you've never seen them before."

"Four, actually _act_ like a five year old. You know, throw temper tantrums sometimes, take naps, and play with things you find."

"Not really sure if that's how five year-olds act."

"And five, _do not_, whatever you do, _do not_ respond to Bilbo. Only answer to 'Martin'."

"Is that all?" Bilbo huffed.

"For now, yes," Kili said. Laying down, he snuggled against Bilbo. "Now nap."

"I'm not a dog."

"No, but you're supposed to be five."

"Not sure if five year-olds take naps either."

"Just roll with it, Martin."

"You ever call me Martin outside of this airspace again and I swear I will pour cold soup in your boots." Kili chuckled at that and nuzzled Bilbo on the cheek with his nose. The two brothers settled down on either side of him and soon were drifting to sleep with loud snores. Bilbo couldn't help himself. The sounds of the young Dwarves snoring gave him a sense of security, not to mention now he knew that Fili and Dori and the rest of the crew were still alive. With that thought running through his head, Bilbo fell asleep.

O.o.O

Bilbo awoke a second time that day, this time with a whine. Strong hands hooked under his armpits and he found himself lifted onto a hip. The familiar sensation of a muscled arm braced against his back. Someone had removed his suspenders and untucked his shirt to give him a more childish look. A hand patted Bilbo gently on the head, easing him down to rest it on their strong shoulder.

"Keep on sleepin', Martin," Dwalin's familiar voice rumbled. "We're just seein' the Elves." Bilbo muttered to himself and pressed his face into the junction of Dwalin's neck and shoulder. Woken in up in such a rude way, he was trapped in that woozy 'what year is it?' moment.

"My father will see you now," a strange voice said from somewhere far off. Bilbo forced one eye open to see the blond Elf standing before them. He watched Thorin with an intense stare, as though expecting something from him. The red-haired Elf stood directly behind him with a faintly curious expression on her face.

"Lead the way," Balin said.

The blond Elf – Legolas, Bilbo thought Kili had called him – nodded and turned, leading the Dwarves out of the room. Bilbo let his eyes slip shut once more. He loved the way Dwalin walked. There was no lollop in his step like a Hobbit's or an Elf's. He walked with his weight connected to the earth in a fluid movement. It soothed Bilbo back into a distant sleep. The sounds around him faded into a black tunnel.

"Martin." Bilbo found himself jostled slightly. Mumbling to himself, he forced his eyes open. Directly before him he could see the back of Bifur's head. The Dwarf had one hand on Bofur's hat and the other on Bombur's, as though he was worried his cousins would disappear.

For a moment Bilbo wondered why Dwalin had even bothered waking him up. And then he saw it, well, him. A blond Elf, looking very much like Legolas, stood on the dais of a throne. He looked down upon Thorin, as one did a bug, and spoke in a condescending tone. Thorin answered in a somewhat even voice. There was a hint of strain in there, like he was holding back from utterly yelling at the Elf.

"That's Thranduil," Dwalin muttered into Bilbo's ear. "Pointy-eared bastard's the king of the Woodland Realm." Thranduil said something Bilbo couldn't hear and Balin stepped forward speaking urgently, his hands outstretched.

"Bed," Bilbo mumbled, wanting to go back to sleep. Kili's words drifted back to his memory and he started to wonder if he could get away with throwing a temper tantrum. He had been pretty good at them when he'd been little. Screaming fits and bashing his head against the floor. His mother had said she'd always thought he'd been possessed by demons until he'd bashed them out of himself.

He never got the chance to test that theory. For at that moment, Thranduil swept through the Dwarves like they were a field of wheatgrass. Thorin and Balin followed him, both looking nervous. Bilbo blinked blearily when the Elvenking knelt down to be at his level. Words tumbled down from the King's mouth. They sounded far-off familiar to Bilbo, as though from a distant memory. He missed the horrified expression on Thorin's face and the knowing look they'd failed on Balin's. Instead, he mustered up the memory as well as he could.

"_Again_," he said. Thranduil's eyebrows rose slightly. "_Sleepy_."

"_I asked if you are truly of Edoras,_" the Elvenking said in language of Rohan. Bilbo yawned and nestled his head against Dwalin's shoulder.

"_Uh-huh_." Oh, he was _good_ at this five year-old thing. It was piece of cake!

"_Why are you traveling with these Dwarves?_"

"_Mama and Papa left and didn't come back. The church man said I have to go somewhere else now._"

"_I see, and do you like traveling with the Dwarves?_"

"_They're funny._"

"_Have they harmed you at all?_"

"_No_."

Thranduil hummed thoughtfully at Bilbo's answer before he stood. He turned to Legolas, speaking in Sindarin with his son who stiffened. Beside him, Tauriel's face grew stony as the king addressed her. Finally, after raising his hand many times against Tauriel's quick words, the Elvenking turned to the Dwarves.

"The guards will show you to rooms for the night," he said. "I am afraid you will have to remain in separate rooms, including your young charge. There is not space enough in them." Bilbo caught the way Thorin looked back at him.

"Very well," Thorin said in a resigned voice. "When will we be able to return to the Station for our ship?"

"A few days should suffice," Thranduil said. "I will send you out with the next scouting party." Thorin gave the king a small, and rather jerking, bow then turned toward the guard waiting for them. Bilbo felt the ground beneath him lurch as Dwalin turned away. It was in these last moments of consciousness that he heard the Elvenking speak in the Rohan language.

"_Do not worry, I will save you._" Had he been more awake, his eyes would have shot open in surprise. The king knew. The Dwarves hadn't fooled him one bit.

O.o.O

_January 5015, Outside Gondor Airspace_

Fili came to with the sensation of something hot and thick filling his mouth. Groaning, he blinked his sore eyes open. In the black room he could hardly make anything out. Across from him hung the still form of his younger brother. Ori hung upside down in the corner just as still. Inhaling through his nose, Fili winced at the pain he felt. The blood had rushed to his head, filling his mouth during his unconsciousness. He spat out the mouthful of blood, careful not to aim it at his brother or friend.

Outside, he could hear nothing. The _Eagles_ had fallen silent with a break in their attack. No guards or crew shouted through the halls. Everything was completely silent. Briefly, Fili wondered if the ship had managed to strike the _Eagles_ or if they were just biding their time. The sound of Kili groaning awake snapped Fili back to their current predicament. No amount of hanging upside was healthy for anyone.

"Fili," Kili croaked out. Fili heard him spit then groan again. "Think I broke a tooth."

"Hopefully that's just the worst," Fili told his brother.

"Ori awake yet?"

"I am now," came the small answer. "What happened?"

"Can't tell," Fili said. "I think they've stopped attacking, but it's hard to tell." The ship shuddered as something struck it.

"Nope!" Kili said, his voice rising high into hysterics. "Not done! Not done!" The shudders continued, jarring their way through Fili's teeth. He tried to remind himself not to clench his jaw, but it was hard. His body wanted to resist against this pain.

Finally the shuddering stopped altogether. Fili inhaled a relieved breath that quickly turned to surprise when his cuffs suddenly released him. He fell to the floor in an ungraceful heap. Ori yelped and Kili screamed – quite high for a male Dwarf – as they both hit the floor.

"Not helpful," Kili said into the steel. Ori mumbled his agreement. Rolling over, Fili groaned at the pain coursing through his body. He'd been through enough already without falling several feet to a steel floor, well, ceiling. Above him he could make out a blue light. He frowned, confused for a moment, until it dawned on him.

"Move, _move_, they're cutting through!"

"What do you mean 'they're cutting through'?" Kili asked in confusion as his brother shoved against him. "Who are?"

"_The Eagles_, dummy." Fili managed to shove his brother out of the way just in the nick of time. A square of steel crashed to the floor where the Dwarf had previously been lying. Crackling wires and pipes stuck out at odd angles from between the layers. Kili stared at it, stunned beyond words. Fili dared to lean forward and peek upward. The belly of his ship _Goshawk_ greeted at him. A screen flashed blue at him and she trilled.

"Lovely to see you too," Fili said. _Goshawk_ chortled, the screen flickering between shades. "A warning would have been nice." At this _Goshawk_ made an impatient beeping noise. "Right, fine. You win. You _did_ end up saving us in the end."

"Now if only they would get us out," Kili said. Ori mumbled in agreement, having sprawling somewhere in a corner in surprise.

Staggering to his feet, Fili stepped onto a horizontal rim running along the wall. He managed to shove off and grab the very edge of the hole with ease. Pulling himself up through it was another matter entirely. _Goshawk_ urged him on with her quiet yet excited coos. Finally, after several thoughts he would slip and fall, Fili managed to drag himself into the belly of his ship. He pulled his legs in and the panels folded shut underneath him.

"Right," he said, getting to his feet. "How are we going to do this without killing my brother or Ori?" A screen to his left flickered white and flicked with starbursts. "Of course, I forgot all about your magic, how stupid of me." _Goshawk_ trilled at him, her screens flashing blue in a wave sequence.

_The Eagle_ pulled away from the Government ship, her wings expanding. A glance down showed Fili the force field she had built over the hole. _Albatross_, Ori's ship, took her place for her pilot to board. _Skydiver_, ever the impatient ship, pulled corkscrews and loop-the-loops in boredom. Extracting both Kili and Ori seemed to take forever for Fili. He waited impatiently, seated on the pilot's chair of his ship, drumming his fingers against the console.

"Okay, we're saved," Kili said once _Skydiver_ had pulled away from the Government ship. "Now what?"

"We need to get a hold of Dain or Thranduil, maybe Bard," Fili said, flicking buttons and twisting knobs. _Goshawk _relinquished control willingly, cooing to herself a song. "One of them might be able to help us."

"But they're all on the other side of the System," Ori piped up. "We'd never make it to them in time to save Bilbo."

"I'll think of some-thing," Fili's words faltered at a strange symbol on one of the many screens. Reaching over, he pressed the _M_. A sequence of words flashed across the screens.

_Mother's crying find her child,_

_The guards are searching all the while,_

_The sun has set in the west,_

_The warriors' gathering for their best,_

_They've taken him where you won't find him tomorrow,_

_You'll search and search, but you won't find the barrow._

_~G_

"Kili, call Tauriel," Fili said in a tense voice. "See if you can't get her help."

"Fili, what's wrong?" Kili asked.

"Where are we going?" Ori asked, just as curious.

"We're going to the Barrow Downs, and Dain's coming with us."

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_Now I need to wind down for bed so I'll be awake for work tomorrow. Toodles!_

_Pollux of the Gemini Twins_


	41. Mysteries and Malcontent

Disclaimer: _I don't own the Hobbit!_

A/N: _Hey, everyone!_

_Here is a chapter before I go to bed. Hope you enjoy it!_

_Enjoy! Please review!_

* * *

><p><strong>Mysteries and Malcontent<strong>

Bilbo huffs as he sits on the Thranduil's throne. At his feet, laptop at the ready, sits Pollux. A pair of red reindeer antlers are perched on her head with a headband, a small Santa hat in between them. Bilbo flicks at one of them before brightening up.

"Right, we wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!" he says. Pollux doesn't look up from her laptop as she continues to work, though she does knock Bilbo's hand away when he goes to flick the antlers again. "Is that what I supposed to say, o great author?"

"Yep."

"I'm pretty sure this is exactly where we were on the last holiday special."

"Shut up, Bilbo, or I'll kill you on the Barrow Downs."

"You can't do that! I'm an essential part of the story! Who else is going to be-?"

"Say the name and I really will kill you," Pollux says, giving Bilbo a dangerous look. "I didn't like how it initially turned out, so I rewrote it. You got a problem with that?" Bilbo shakes his head quickly. "Good, so shut up. Merry Christmas, everyone!" Pollux says with a joyful wave.

O.o.O

Of the many languages of the universe, Khuzdul was the only language Dwalin was entirely fluent in, having spoken it from childhood. He could pass with decent enough Westron, though his accent sometimes made it so that no one could understand past the growls. He knew two words in Hobbitish: _mathom_ and _smial_, both learned from Bilbo. He didn't know a lick of either Sindarin or Quenya. He did, though, know enough Rohirric to be able to say _yes_, _no_, and_ where's the bathroom_?

So when the Elvenking spoke to Bilbo in Rohirric, Dwalin was terrified. Bilbo passed off with his own fluent knowledge of the language. Where he had learned it, Dwalin didn't know. Thranduil, that Elven bastard, seemed to accept whatever Bilbo said readily enough. He even offered to give the crew a place to stay for the night, though their "Boy from Rohan" would be staying in his own room. Dwalin could handle that. Bilbo was a big boy. But those last few words that Thranduil spoke to Bilbo made him nervous. He didn't know enough Rohirric himself to translate it and he wasn't sure if either Balin or Dori would. Bilbo himself didn't respond to it.

To be honest, Dwalin didn't know what to expect.

In the past half hour of holding Bilbo like a child – as tired as the Hobbit was – Dwalin's arm had begun to grow sore. He'd become used to the sensation of holding the Hobbit. There were some nights when Bilbo just couldn't sleep in a bed and only Dwalin's arms would do. Those nights usually ended with Gloin or Thorin staying up and taking their share of "Bilbo-sitting". But the amount of holding Bilbo and not being able to shift him to the other arm was making it go numb. He prayed it would end soon.

"_Daro_," the Elf guard behind Dwalin said roughly. Dwalin ignored him and continued down the hallway after the rest of the crew when a hand landed on his shoulder. Growling, he tried to wrench free from the grip. All it earned him was a glare and a mumble from a tired Bilbo. "_Daro_," the guard said again. Dwalin narrowed his eyes at the Elf, starting to wonder if any of them spoke Westron. "His room is here." Apparently he did. He just didn't like speaking it. The guard gestured to the door beside him once more. "The child will be staying here." Dwalin glanced over his shoulder to see the rest of the crew several yards down the hall.

"Why's his room so far away?" he asked the guard in a growl, turning back to the Elf. The guard considered him for a moment before speaking again.

"The child stays here."

"And I'll ask again, why's his room so far away?" The guard's eyes narrowed behind his veil. Dwalin met the hidden glare with one of his own before the guard finally spoke.

"This is the only child-friendly room we have," he said. "The child stays here."

"And why can't I stay with him? Martin's not old enough to trust strangers."

"Not enough room." The guard turned to a keypad and pressed the flat head of the ring on his left hand against it. A green bar ran down the keypad. It flashed entirely green and the door slid open. The guard ushered Dwalin in.

The moment Dwalin stepped into the room, light flooded it. He blinked several times before the dots cleared form his vision. What he saw shocked him. The room had once been made for a small person, perhaps even a child. The bed was perfect for Bilbo, just a few inches short of the Hobbit's height. The dresser and nightstands were half the size of a Man's. The windowseat positioned at the far end of the room, clearly, had been made for a child. Bilbo could easily pull himself onto it without either struggle or help.

"The child stays here," the guard said. Dwalin shot him a glare over his shoulder.

"You say that again and I'll drive it into your skull."

"Dwal." Dwalin paused at the mumbled word. "Dwal, tired," Bilbo muttered. His fingers wove themselves into Dwalin's beard. "Bed." Dwalin couldn't help but chuckle at the sleepy demand.

"Right, Martin," he said. "Bed." Moving slowly across the room, he lowered the Hobbit onto the bed. It took a lot of coaxing to get him to release his beard from his grip. In the end, Dwalin managed to pull the fresh sheets over Bilbo's tired. He took a moment to transfer the ring from his pocket into Bilbo's – there was no knowing if the Hobbit would need it – before he stepped back. Bilbo snuggled under the covers, curling himself up into a ball.

"I will show you to your room now," the guard said from behind Dwalin. The Dwarf gave his Hobbit one last reassuring glance before turning to follow the Elf.

The door slid shut behind him with a hiss. A loud beep echoed through the silent hallway. Dwalin and the Elven guard stood facing one another, a tense silence raising between them. And then it happened. The hairs on Dwalin's neck stood up. His warrior's sense – as Kili so often called it – was tingling. This was wrong.

The Elf moved faster than Dwalin could react. His hand flew up to strike him across the face, sending the Dwarf stumbling back into the wall.

"What are you - ?" Dwalin never got to finish the question. The Elf struck him hard in the solar plexus with two fingers and the Dwarf fell to the floor choking on his own breath. He clutched at his throat, trying in vain to find it again. A hand slammed down on the back of his neck. He collapsed completely to the floor. The blood pounded in his ears.

"Bastard," Dwalin muttered into the floor. No matter how much he commanded his limbs to move they just wouldn't obey. Strong hands slipped under his arms and dragged him upright. He found himself staring at the floor as the Elf guard dragged him away. Martin, no, _Bilbo_ was in trouble. And there was nothing he could do about it.

O.o.O

Legolas flinched as Tauriel slammed the door shut behind her. A tense silence filled the air between him, his father, and the two guards. His father, the Elvenking, didn't seem the least bit fazed about the captain's attitude. He simply turned to a small table and poured himself a glass of wine.

"Thandcrist," Thranduil said, not looking up from the wine. "Send the Government a message. Tell them we have something of theirs that was found on a Khazad ship."

"Yes, my lord," the taller of the two guards said with a small bow. Legolas looked between the two, confused as to what was going on.

"And tell them it is urgent. I have no reason to keep it here any longer than it needs to be," Thranduil said. He turned to the other occupants of the room, glass in hand. Legolas stiffened as his father's eyes fell upon him. "Why are you still here, Thandcrist?"

"Apologies, my lord," Thandcrist said. With one last bow, he hurried from the room. The doors slid open and shut after him.

"You look confused, Legolas," Thranduil commented once the guard at left. Legolas turned back to look at his father, trying to judge the atmosphere. Some times were simply not good moments to ask questions.

"Why were you so interested in the child of the Rohan System?" Legolas finally asked, deeming his father calm enough. His father scoffed and took a sip from the wineglass.

"That," he said when he finished the drink. "Was no child of the Rohan System. In fact, it was no Man at all."

"The pilot said he was, though," Legolas said in confusion. "He told us the boy had Elf blood in him."

"And when have you ever known the Dwarves to speak the truth?" Thranduil asked. He set the wineglass aside on a table and descended the dais to stand before his son. Legolas craned his neck to keep eye contact with his father.

"I have never had the chance to encounter a Dwarf until now," he admitted. "Though you have always taught me to never trust their word or action." Thranduil smiled at that.

"And it appears you did not take my advice." He patted Legolas on the shoulder before stepping around his son. "Leave us, Thalatoss." The final guard in the room bowed once then left without a single word spoken. Once he had gone, Thranduil turned to his son. "The Dwarves lied to you, Legolas, as they have lied to many others in the past. That was no child of the Rohan or Gondor Systems. He has no ancestry in the Solar System. You could trace his blood back and you would not find a single gene."

"Then what is he?" Legolas asked in confusion. "He surely is not a Dwarf and I have never seen an Elf that small, not even for a child."

"You forget about one race," Thranduil said, turning away. Legolas' gaze fell to his father's hand in time to see the ring on his left hand being twisted subconsciously between fingers. He never had learned where the ring came from, only that it was a precious gift. "Tell me, Legolas, have you truly become so blind as to forget about the smallest race in the universe? The _Perian_?"

"But the _Perian_ do not wander this far out," Legolas said. He lifted his eyes to watch his father pace the room. "They are protected by the Government of the Free Peoples."

"Indeed, and now the Dwarves have managed to steal a _Perian_ right out from under their noses. No doubt they mean to sell the poor creature on the black-market."

"Why would they do that, though? The _Perian_ are a peaceful race."

"Because Dwarves are greedy. They have forgotten the roots of the _Perian_ in the Harfoots. They will see nothing but profit with the poor creature."

"You intend to send the _Perian_ back to his home?"

"What other choice do I have? It is where he belongs. Enough about the creature. Soon he will be another's problem. Tell me, my son, why did I send you into space with the captain?" Legolas blinked at the question then fidgeted.

"To observe her competency as a captain of the ship," he said. His father turned to face him, a cold look on his face. "I remained with Captain Tauriel for three months. Never before have I seen a more competent leader of a vessel."

"This is not about what you think," his father hissed. Legolas stiffened. His stomach twisted at the oncoming storm. "You were to report back to me about all changes aboard that ship. When you received a distress call from those Dwarves in space I told you to leave it be. You disobeyed my orders and boarded the Station."

"You do not understand," Legolas began, but his father cut him off.

"There was no reason for you to have been aboard that Station with the Dwarves."

"Those Spiders-."

"Would have left once they had finished. There was no reason to attack them. They leave us well enough alone if we leave them alone."

"But those were not just Spiders," Legolas argued. "There was a _Hên ned in Ungol_ with them. I saw him with my very own eyes." Thranduil's eyes widened at the word and he stepped back from his son. Legolas continued to speak, his voice urgent. "There was something about that Rohan boy, the _Perian_, he wanted. I heard him taunt the creature before he was ready to attack it. He wanted to trade it to someone. I do not believe this is the work of the Dwarves."

"You are a fool, Legolas," Thranduil said softly. "The _Ungol_ never lets her spawn out of her sight. You were mistaken by what you saw. The _Perian_ is nothing more than a speck of dust in this great universe. He will blow away when his time comes and nothing will change."

"Father-."

"We are done here, Legolas," Thranduil said, turning away. Legolas huffed at the belligerent attitude of his father. "There is nothing more to talk about. The Spiders are dead, the _Perian_ will return home, and you will remain grounded alongside Captain Tauriel and her crew until further notice. Now leave."

"_Ada_."

"I said leave!"

Legolas froze at the furious shout. His father remained facing away, his hands clenched at his side. Father and son stood silent, neither willing to break the quiet air between them. Finally, Legolas gave his father a stiff bow before turning and leaving. The doors hissed open and closed for him. The lock sounded the moment they shut. Legolas ignored them as he made his way down the hall.

He had barely gotten into the inner gardens before a body landed behind him. He didn't need to turn to see who it was. His friend had the habit of climbing walls and hiding in the corners of ceilings.

"That went well," Tauriel said as she fell in stride beside her friend. Legolas didn't answer, opting to watch the smallest sun of Erebor rise slowly on the horizon. Night had fallen. "What did your father say about the boy from the Rohan System? Why did he speak the Rohirric to him?"

"That was no child of Man," Legolas said. Tauriel made a surprised sound. "He is a _Perian_, a Halfling from the Shire System." He didn't notice Tauriel had stopped until several seconds passed. Turning, he saw his friend several yards behind him on the garden path. Tauriel blinked, shook her head, and then trotted to catch up with him.

"A _Perian_," she repeated in an excited, breathless voice. Legolas nodded once. "Do we get to see him more? Will he be staying with us? How did the _Perian_ manage to get aboard the Khazad ship?" Legolas raised a hand, stopping his friend's incessant questions.

"My father has had the Government hailed to come and retrieve the _Perian_." Tauriel wilted at that. "But I think he is wrong to do so," Legolas continued. Tauriel perked up in interest.

"Finally had enough with your father's attitude?"

"This is no joke, Tauriel," Legolas said with a frown. Tauriel rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, causing the frown to deepen. "My father refused to believe there could have been a _Hên ned in Ungol_ aboard that Station. He thinks we should have never bothered to rescue the Dwarves."

"What interest would either the Dwarves of a _Hên ned in Ungol_ have in a _Perian_?" Tauriel asked curiously. "They are a simple folk of the Shire System." Hesitating, Legolas wondered for a moment how much his friend had been told. He glanced up and down the path before grabbing her by the arm and dragging her behind a series of bushes.

"Ouch," Tauriel said when a branch sliced her cheek. She rubbed it, glaring at Legolas who ignored her.

"How much do you know about the _Perian_?" he asked.

"They are from the Shire System."

"What else?"

"They are . . . from the Shire System." Legolas groaned. "I was raised on the streets, Legolas. I never exactly had the time to learn about _Perian_ and how to dress for a banquet."

"Then now is your chance," Legolas said. Settling himself down on the ground, he prepared for the long explanation. "If you want to understand everything I am about to say then do not interrupt me." Tauriel gave him a single nod in understand and seated herself down. Legolas took a deep breath and began speaking.

"The _Perian_ originate from three separate races: the Fallohide, the Harfoots, and the Stoors. The Fallohides were native to our own System. Our ancestors brought them over when they crossed. The Harfoots were native to the Khazad System and the Stoors to the Gondor System of the Numenor. These three races were peaceful and lived well on their own, never knowing about the other's existence. We loved the Fallohide. The Elders still speak of the days when they would fill the gardens with their singing and flowers in the springtime."

"What happened to them?" Tauriel asked in a soft voice. Legolas leveled her with a serious look.

"Sauron happened," he said, and Tauriel winced at the name. "In the Thirty-seventh century he began his attempts to claim dominion over the universe. He created mass hordes of Orcs to haunt the skies and take out any who dared to defy him. Several years into his reign he found the Stoors in the Gondor System. He had every single one rounded up and taken away to the Ash Mountains in the southern part of the Khazad System. It was not long before he found the Fallohides and the Harfoots."

"He took them all?"

"Aye, every last one. Some tried to resist him, but he won out in the end. Those _Perian_ he did not capture, he killed. He left none alive for us to cherish."

"What happened to the ones he had?"

"He tortured them, experimented on them. There are mass graves where once the villages of the _Perian_ stood. Those graves . . . they do not even begin to equate to the number of _Perian_ the enemy killed. Once there were millions, then there were only a few hundred thousand. The Government rescued them with the fall of Sauron and took them away to an uninhabited System. There they thrived on their own until a plague struck. Mithrandir stepped in and requested the Government declare the System a sanctuary. The _Perian_ have lived there protected ever since. The Government has begun talking, though, about dissolving it. The _Perian's_ numbers have hardly increased in the time of the sanctuary and it is doing nothing but eating their money. They cannot continue to support a hopeless project." Tauriel blinked as Legolas finished his story. She scratched her nose. Blinked again. And then a wide smile spread across her face.

"Government conspiracy?" she asked. Legolas ducked his head in a nod.

"Perhaps."

"Would you like me to hack into the database and see what I can find?"

"Aye, and in the mean time I will speak with the pilot we rescued, see what I can find out form him."

"Excellent," Tauriel said, leaping to her feet. She hurried from between the bushes. "The game is afoot, Watson!"

"Tauriel, quit watching those Solar System reruns!"

O.o.O

"Have you really been wearing those antlers all day?" Pollux looks up from her laptop to see Kili and Fili staring up at her. She straightens the antlers on her head, looking affronted. "No offense, but you look ridiculous."

"So what if I did?"

"Did you seriously wear them at work?" Kili asks.

"And at your aunt's house?" Fili adds.

"Yes," Pollux says with an insulted sniff. "My mom said they were stupid, so I wore them to spite her." Kili howls with laughter at that while Fili shakes his head. "Just shut up and say your line. Where's the rest of the crew?"

"Right here," Balin says as he and the crew wander up behind the pilots. Thranduil, Legolas, Tauriel, and Gandalf bring up the rear.

"And a one, and a two, and a three," Pollux says.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!"

"Hark the herald angels sing!"

"KILI, SHUT UP!"

* * *

><p>AN: _What did you think?_

_FYI, I really did wear those antlers all day at work and at my aunt's house. It was hilarious. My sister's just got used to them and no one said anything about them . . . although my dog did try to eat them._

_There is no word in Sindarin for 'spawn, so I had to go with Child of the Spider._

_Merry Christmas!_


End file.
